More Ball Family Drama, But Serious This Time

Yesterday UCLA freshman LiAngelo Ball was arrested in Shanghai, China for shoplifting. Also arrested were two other UCLA freshman, Cody Riley and Jalen Hill. The team is in China to play their season opening game against Georgia Tech when the three players were arrested for stealing from a Louis Vuitton store next to the team’s hotel.

This is a situation that LaVar Ball is not going to be able to “Talk in to happening” when it comes to working with the Chinese legal system. What many people do not seem to understand, at least it seems that on Twitter, is that just because the three are American citizens it does not mean they will be charged under American laws. This happened in China, they broke Chinese laws and will be charged and perhaps tried under those laws. I have seen more than a dozen comments along the lines of “why are people making a big deal? It’s just a misdemeanor” or “he will just get a wrist slap and sent home”. Nope, no misdemeanor and no wrist slap.

According to Amnesty International attorney William Nee the students can be detained without bail for a month, some have been held even longer, and if there is absolute proof that any of the three players did in fact shoplift they may be looking at 3-10 years in a Chinese prison.

Let’s face it, LiAngelo was going to get drafted by an NBA team just on the hopes he can play but a single bad decision in a foreign country may have derailed those plans or possibly destroyed those plans all together. He is 18 now, if he does get imprisoned, even for 3 years, is going to affect him greatly. Those are going to be 3 very tough years on him and who knows what it will do to his mind and his body.

I dislike LaVar Ball with a passion but no matter how I feel about the father, I feel bad for LiAngelo. Unfortunately, when poor decisions are made there are consequences to be paid and he is finding out that some nations make you pay different consequences than a misdemeanor and fine.