WATCH: LaVar Ball plans to train LiAngelo himself and says that he will be headed for the NBA pic.twitter.com/iricxGscRb
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) December 5, 2017
LaVar Ball has pulled his son, LiAngelo Ball, from UCLA rather than the guard completing an indefinite suspension.
Ball and his outspoken dad explained their decision after TMZ broke the news Monday, Dec. 3. According to the site, the elder Ball believes the suspension for his son shoplifting from multiple high-end Chinese stores — for which he and two other UCLA teammates were arrested and charged — is unfair.
“That’s the whole season pretty much,” LiAngelo Ball tells the “Today Show” Tuesday, Dec. 5. “That’s just a long time of doing nothing. I rather be playing.”
His father adds, “China already said, ‘Ok, he made a bad mistake, we’re gonna drop the charges.’ That’s the punishment they gave him. Now we over here. We gotta serve some more punishment? He apologized. What’s the long process for? We only went to UCLA — one and done — to play basketball.”
LaVar plans to train his son on his own to get him drafted to the NBA, where he’d join older brother Lonzo Ball, who’s a Los Angeles Lakers rookie guard.
“We learned today of LiAngelo Ball’s intention to withdraw from UCLA,” men’s basketball coach Steve Alford said in a statement. “We respect the decision he and his family have made, and we wish him all the best in the future.”
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In response to the basketball dad’s latest move, many have been taken to social media to voice their opinion.
As usual, several Twitter users bashed LaVar Ball’s parenting.
That father is pure trash! I hope no one picks that kid up!
— Just Say It #MAGA (@LucknerLea) December 5, 2017
He’s hoping his kid becomes his cash cow. So sad.
— Cassandra Cole (@Colecassandra81) December 5, 2017
He needs to be a father first and teach his son a lesson. No matter what he was caught stealing, teach him some kind of lesson😡
— Marisol Mercado (@mmercado86) December 5, 2017
Others gathered up a tally of LiAngelo Ball’s stats as a Bruin, playing on the shoplifting incident.
LiAngelo Ball’s final UCLA career stats: 0 minutes, 1 steal
— Matt (@dirty___g) December 4, 2017
LiAngelo Ball career stats at UCLA:
0 points, 0 assists, 0 rebounds, 0 blocks and 1 steal— Poosh (@mighty_pasha) December 4, 2017
R.I.P. to the LiAngelo Ball ERA at UCLA. He had one of the biggest steals in UCLA history in his short time at the school. pic.twitter.com/zDi9E3NA9F
— Stew🏀 (@StewyHoops) December 4, 2017
And some just joked about the whole thing.
LaVar Ball pulling up to LiAngelo Ball locker at UCLA like clean ya locker out and let's go… pic.twitter.com/aBSNlWzfn2
— D.T. (@Darlene26811165) December 4, 2017
BREAKING: After pulling out of UCLA, LiAngelo Ball has committed to another school. pic.twitter.com/tXi6mewf6j
— Masta Red Snappa (@MastaRedSnappa) December 4, 2017
LiAngelo Ball can’t stay suspended if Lavar Ball pulls him from UCLA pic.twitter.com/iInVNLIXHI
— Collin (@CollinJustin1) December 4, 2017