The Great Smoky Mountain Journal

Staff, Wire Reports

Posted: Sunday, January 21, 2018 07:23 PM

Lavar Ball Refuses To Thank President Trump For Getting Son Out Of Jail Time In China

LaVar Ball reacted to President Trump's tweet about him allegedly being ungrateful for the president helping get his son out of possible jailtime in China.

Ball's son, UCLA player LiAngelo Ball, as well as two other players were facing several years jailtime on a shoplifting charge.

Trump said he negotiated with Chinese President Xi Jinping for their release.

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
Now that the three basketball players are out of China and saved from years in jail, LaVar Ball, the father of LiAngelo, is unaccepting of what I did for his son and that shoplifting is no big deal. I should have left them in jail!

The elder Ball told CNN that he is not attacking or criticizing the president, but doesn't necessarily feel the need to thank him.

"I don't need to go around saying thank you to everybody. Let me deal with my son and let [Trump] do what he's going to do," LaVar Ball said.

"If I was going to thank somebody I was going to thank President Xi," said Ball, whose oldest son, Lonzo, plays for the Lakers.

Ball said he cannot be sure whether Trump was involved but also inferred that he wasn't saying Trump was not involved.

"I don't care and I don't know. If [Trump] said he helped, that's good for his mind," he said. "If you helped, you shouldn't have to say anything."

Chris Cuomo told Ball he didn't know why the athlete would be skeptical about the president helping his son.