Younger Bawlers looking to travel

[DukieInKansas]

Better the "jail" they are currently in than the one they avoided in China.

[MrPoon]

#undrafted.

[OldPhiKap]

I bet LaVar didn’t even thank Trump for getting his son out of UCLA. #Sad

[Tripping William]

Better the "jail" they are currently in than the one they avoided in China.

Or the one in which Rashad McCants was incarcerated...

[Tripping William]

I bet LaVar didn’t even thank Trump for getting his son out of UCLA. #Sad

Does Trump U. field a team? If so, he could almost lead the conference in steals. Almost.

[Jeffrey]

Better the "jail" they are currently in than the one they avoided in China.

Exactly! The POTUS needed to get involved to keep them out of jail. I doubt that would have happened if the other 99% of U.S.A. kids made the same horrible decision.

Of course, our very own, Jay Williams thought they should have only been suspended for 2 games. Not sure what Jay thought would have happened if the other 99% of U.S.A. kids made the same horrible decision. Maybe, a 2 Nintendo game suspension?

[OldPhiKap]

Does Trump U. field a team? If so, he could almost lead the conference in steals. Almost.

I would make a joke about unforced errors, but that would be wrong. So I won’t.

Go Duke.

[22JumpShots]

Not sure why you all keep bashing Trump on this one. I believe he was right. Personally I am glad and find it hilarious that he called out LaVar on his BS for the world to see. Trump helped that kid (who made a mistake) out of Chinese prison time (potentially 10 years. Stealing in a communist country? Big no no.) by personally speaking with the Chinese President himself. For LaVar to act like China was weak on the kids vs. how UCLA handles is foolish, as China never had the chance to put the kids on trial, etc. LaVar wouldn't even have a platform if it wasn't for ESPN promoting that crap. They are failing themselves, and I wouldn't be surprised if the LaVar story is probably the top click of the day. That is whats #sad. Make our monopolized sports network great again.

GO DUKE!

[OldPhiKap]

Not sure why you all keep bashing Trump on this one. I believe he was right. Personally I am glad and find it hilarious that he called out LaVar on his BS for the world to see. Trump helped that kid (who made a mistake) out of Chinese prison time (potentially 10 years. Stealing in a communist country? Big no no.) by personally speaking with the Chinese President himself. For LaVar to act like China was weak on the kids vs. how UCLA handles is foolish, as China never had the chance to put the kids on trial, etc. LaVar wouldn't even have a platform if it wasn't for ESPN promoting that crap. They are failing themselves, and I wouldn't be surprised if the LaVar story is probably the top click of the day. That is whats #sad. Make our monopolized sports network great again.

GO DUKE!

Not bashing at all, just making a joke. At LaVar’s expense, not Trump’s.

If it were not for SNL, I would not even know who LaVar is frankly. Don’t give a flip about him one way or the other.

[dudog84]

Not sure why you all keep bashing Trump on this one. I believe he was right. Personally I am glad and find it hilarious that he called out LaVar on his BS for the world to see. Trump helped that kid (who made a mistake) out of Chinese prison time (potentially 10 years. Stealing in a communist country? Big no no.) by personally speaking with the Chinese President himself. For LaVar to act like China was weak on the kids vs. how UCLA handles is foolish, as China never had the chance to put the kids on trial, etc. LaVar wouldn't even have a platform if it wasn't for ESPN promoting that crap. They are failing themselves, and I wouldn't be surprised if the LaVar story is probably the top click of the day. That is whats #sad. Make our monopolized sports network great again.

GO DUKE!

I'm not sure it's Trump bashing, there's plenty of room for that elsewhere. Just not on this board. And unfortunately, I think any president would have done the same. Though it may have taken longer. Those kids are extremely fortunate that the president was in China at the time.

I have no tolerance for this stupidity. I think they should have been prosecuted like anyone else. Just like that kid from North Korea. If you're stupid enough to go to North Korea, and then do something inane when you know what that regime is like, then you get what's coming to you. It's terrible that he died, but every second something terrible is happening to someone in this world and the news media and our politicians don't go apes**t over it.

[Pghdukie]

Interesting that the 2 other participants are rarely named or even heard of. I wonder if their parents thanked Trump? Are they still in school?

[DukieInKansas]

Interesting that the 2 other participants are rarely named or even heard of. I wonder if their parents thanked Trump? Are they still in school?

It appears the other two and their families are playing it smart - heads down, keeping out of trouble, don't call attention to yourself. For them, this will eventually pass.

Unfortunately for the middle Ball son, his father appears to be wanting to keep him in the news. I'm not convinced that any publicity is good publicity in this case - at least for the son.

[subzero02]

I'm not sure it's Trump bashing, there's plenty of room for that elsewhere. Just not on this board. And unfortunately, I think any president would have done the same. Though it may have taken longer. Those kids are extremely fortunate that the president was in China at the time.

I have no tolerance for this stupidity. I think they should have been prosecuted like anyone else. Just like that kid from North Korea. If you're stupid enough to go to North Korea, and then do something inane when you know what that regime is like, then you get what's coming to you. It's terrible that he died, but every second something terrible is happening to someone in this world and the news media and our politicians don't go apes**t over it.

I think this move by Lavar opens the door for an endorsement deal with Gucci.

[OldPhiKap]

Q: what’s the difference between LaVar Ball and a Kardashian?

A: I don’t know, either.

[Jim3k]

The 10 year jail sentence for shoplifting in China has been tossed around by many news outlets, broadcasters, critics and even Trump.

But is is accurate?

This AJC article from November 9 seems to say it would never have happened. Ten-day house arrest for the players, maybe even at the team hotel.

Looks like they faced worse from UCLA's student discipline system. Expulsion was always on the table there. Theft is grounds for expulsion.

[UrinalCake]

Didn’t LaVar also pull the youngest son off his high school team because he didn’t like how the coach was coaching? Man, what a circus.

[CDu]

Didn’t LaVar also pull the youngest son off his high school team because he didn’t like how the coach was coaching? Man, what a circus.

Yep. LaVar is “home schooling” LaMelo. Which should of course be another eligibility yellow flag (in addition to the shoe deal) for him. From the sounds of it, LaMelo likely won’t be going to UCLA now. I have to wonder if he will even play college ball at all, or just sit out the year and prep for the draft.

Lonzo’s struggles at the pro level are, of course, problematic for LaVar’s brand. But LiAngelo presents an entirely different hurdle. He just isn’t very good. In some ways, the suspension creates a bailout for LaVar: he can save face rather than having the embarrassment of LiAngelo not being even a key regular in college. Hard to rep the Big Baller brand when you aren’t a player. This way, LaVar can hide LiAngelo and try to build an aura about the kid. It almost certainly won’t work in the long run. But it creates a nice stall tactic to avoid really hurting the brand for until/if Lonzo becomes a star.

[CameronBornAndBred]

It appears the other two and their families are playing it smart - heads down, keeping out of trouble, don't call attention to yourself.

AKA being normal people.

[devildeac]

Didn’t LaVar also pull the youngest son off his high school team because he didn’t like how the coach was coaching? Man, what a circus.

I dunno about that. I seem to recall enjoying the circus when I was taken as a kid a couple times and when we took our children.

[devilsadvocate85]

I bet LaVar didn’t even thank Trump for getting his son out of UCLA. #Sad

I think Trump should have negotiated an exchange. The 3 kids come home and LaVar stays in China. Oh, and pull his passport for good measure.