The trio of UCLA basketball players; Jalen Hill, Cody Riley, and LiAngelo Ball (brother of Los Angeles Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball) returned to the United States on Tuesday after being held in custody in China for shoplifting charges, dating back to last week. Though it didn't take long for President Donald Trump to request a thank you from them after playing middle man with President Xi Jinping to streamline a resolution.
Do you think the three UCLA Basketball Players will say thank you President Trump? They were headed for 10 years in jail!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 15, 2017
The three players were caught stealing sunglasses at a Louis Vuitton store in Hangzhou, China next to the team hotel, only days before an international game against Georgia Tech.
Trump brought up a conversation with Xi during his stay in China, where he asked the Chinese leader to expedite a resolution with the players, so that they may go free.
“The basketball players, by the way — I know a lot of people are asking — I will tell you, when I heard about it two days ago, I had a great conversation with President Xi,” Trump said, according to The Washington Post. “What they did was unfortunate. You know, you’re talking about very long prison sentences. [The Chinese] do not play games.”
Stealing in China isn't remotely as ominous as Trump makes it seem, as the penalty for shoplifting isn't remotely close to the 10 years in jail he claims they'd spend through his daily morning-rant tweet.
via Simon Denyer, David Nakamura, and Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post
“The sunglasses in the Louis Vuitton store in Hangzhou are priced at or around 4,900 yuan ($750). According to Chinese law, anyone stealing goods worth between 4,000 and 7,000 yuan faces between one and two years in jail, although the sentence can be mitigated if they confess, show remorse and pay compensation.”
All of the players delivered statements of regret and apology today, also thanking those that supported them through the process including the U.S. government and President Trump. UCLA head coach Steve Alford said that all three players will be suspended indefinitely.
Neither of the players or staff answered questions from the press.
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