Three UCLA basketball players were released on bail in China on Wednesday after being arrested for allegedly stealing from a store next to the team’s hotel. Among the arrested players was LiAngelo Ball, brother to rookie Los Angeles Lakers guard and No. 2 overall pick Lonzo Ball.
Freshmen Cody Riley and Jalen Hill were the other two players questioned and later released along with Ball.
The Bruins were staying in a hotel in Hangzhou before departing for Shanghai on Wednesday. The players were questioned by police at the team hotel before being brought to the police station for several hours, according to ESPN.
“We are aware of a situation involving UCLA student-athletes in Hangzhou, China,” UCLA said in a statement. “The University is cooperating fully with local authorities on this matter, and we have no further comment at this time.”
The Ball family is no stranger to controversy, as father LaVar continually makes headlines for outlandish comments and his business enterprise Big Baller Brand. LaVar and the rest of his family are in China with the team, and a press conference he was scheduled to give Wednesday morning about the incident was canceled “due to the legal nature of the matter.”
“I’m going to wait until I get some more intel on what’s going on, and then I can tell you what’s up,” Ball said to reporters on Wednesday, according to ESPN.
This is yet another insane chapter in the Ball family legacy, and it’s far from over just yet.
Whether you’re looking to get into shape, or just get out of a funk, The Charge has got you covered. Sign up for our new wellness newsletter today.
