After what can only be described as a tumultuous tenure, college freshmen LiAngelo Ball decided to quit school at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles). Ball is the younger brother of Los Angeles Lakers guard Lonzo Ball. The outspoken patriarch of the Ball family LaVar Ball confirmed the news Monday afternoon.
LaVar removes LiAngelo Ball from UCLA.
The Announcement
Reporter Jeff Goodman of ESPN tweeted the following;
LaVar Ball told ESPN he has pulled LiAngelo Ball from UCLA. “We are exploring other options with Gelo,” LaVar said. “He’s out of there.”
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) December 4, 2017
“We learned today of LiAngelo Ball’s intention to withdraw from UCLA,” head coach Steve Alford said in a statement Monday, via CNN. “We respect the decision he and his family have made, and we wish him all the best in the future.”
Flashback to UCLA’s trip to China
There was plenty of controversies when LiAngelo Ball was arrested for shoplifting in China. He and two other players were placed under a form of “house arrest” in their hotel. This led to an international incident, with President Donald Trump getting involved, and then taking credit for the basketball players release and return to America.
This led to a public dispute between Lavar Ball and the President, with plenty of tweets back and forth, and a much-criticized interview on CNN.
“It wasn’t like he was in the U.S. and said, ‘OK, there’s three kids in China. I need to go over and get them.’ That wasn’t the thought process,” LaVar Ball said on CNN.
“I say thank you when I see something,” LaVar Ball later added.
“If you help, you shouldn’t have to say anything. Let him do his political affairs and let me handle my son and let’s just stay in our lane.”
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
