News

LaVar Ball Responds To Trump’s Tweet About Son LiAngelo: ‘He Didn’t Call Me’

As if Donald Trump hadn’t picked sufficient fights with athletes, he has now become embroiled in a beef with LaVar Ball.

LaVar Ball vs. Trump feud news

The President took to Twitter on Sunday to express anger over the ungratefulness of the Big Baller Brand founder and CEO, whose son LiAngelo landed himself in hot water earlier this month after he and two of his UCLA basketball teammates were caught shoplifting sunglasses from a Louis Vuitton store in China.

Trump, who happened to be visiting the Asian country as part of a multi-nation trip, reportedly met with President Xi Jinping to order the three players’ release from jail. However, Trump claims Ball never thanked him for helping LiAngelo, and implied he regretted his interference.

“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!”

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!

A week of sports news in your in-box.
We find the sports news you need to know, so you don't have to.

Ball — himself a former college basketball and professional football player — went on CNN on Monday night to discuss the situation with Chris Cuomo. 

Ball refused to thank Trump for setting his son free, saying he should stick to his own affairs. He also said he would rather thank Jinping for the action.

“He didn’t even know they were over there,” Ball said of Trump. “What was he even over there for in the first place? … What I’m trying to say is, it’s not like he was in the US and said, ‘There’s three kids in China — I need to go over there and get ’em.’ That wasn’t the thought process.”

Ball continued: “I don’t have to go around saying ‘thank you’ to everybody,” Ball said. “He didn’t call me. I didn’t shake his hand. He didn’t have to say nothin’, but I’m just sayin’. I have to know what somebody is doing before I say ‘thank you.’ I’m not just going to go around saying ‘thank you.'”

“As far as me, let me deal with my son,” he added. “Let’s just stay in our lane.”

Ball did take the time to wish Trump a Happy Thanksgiving, however.

Ball is known for being an outspoken man, having made several appearances on WWE, and making outlandish claims that he could beat Michael Jordan in a one-on-one basketball game when he only averaged 2 points per game in college. He also took aim at LeBron James and his children. LaVar and his three sons — LiAngelo, Lakers rookie Lonzo and high-schooler LaMelo — star in a Facebook reality series named “Ball in the Family.”

NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 22: LaVar Ball, father of Lonzo Ball, looks on during the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 22, 2017 in New York City.

Pablo Mena

Writer and assistant editor for usports.org. NY Giants and Rangers fan. Film and TV enthusiast (especially Harry Potter and The Office) and lover of foreign languages and cultures.

Recent Posts

Paul George Exits With Knee Injury As 76ers Fall To 2-12 In Loss To Grizzlies

With their big three finally back in action Wednesday, the Philadelphia 76ers suffered another setback…

5 hours ago

VIDEO: Nike Pays Tribute to Rafael Nadal With 30-Foot Projection In Front of Eiffel Tower

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tny--EWynOQ Nike paid tribute to Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal with a 10-meter-tall animated display…

22 hours ago

VIDEO: Rafael Nadal Gets Emotional Tribute as He Retires From Tennis

https://youtu.be/dtJoJz9hC48 Tennis legend Rafael Nadal bid a heartfelt goodbye to his devoted Spanish fans as he brought…

22 hours ago

VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Olympic Fencer Eli Dershwitz Explains The Art Of Fencing

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DQ9Rxhnuer4 U.S. Olympic fencer Eli Dershwitz shed light on the critical skills necessary in fencing…

2 days ago

Two Bears Offensive Linemen Return To Practice, Caleb Williams Desperate For Blocking

Two offensive linemen for the Chicago Bears returned to practice, a massive step in the…

3 days ago

VIDEO: UFC Heavyweight Champion Performs Viral Trump Dance In New York

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/s2g9t_33Myw President-elect Donald Trump received a warm welcome from Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter Jon…

4 days ago