UCLA Basketball Players Arrested in China

ESPN reported that three UCLA basketball players were arrested in China in November on shoplifting charges.The three basketball players include LiAngelo Ball (18) — who is the younger brother of Lonzo Ball, a Los Angeles Lakers point guard — along with Cody Riley (19), and Jalen Hill (17).These three freshman were accused of shopping lifting sunglasses on Tuesday at a Louis Vuitton store in the Chinese City of Hangzhou. Surveillance cameras caught the three players near the high-end stores counting Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Yues Saint Laurent, and Salvatore Ferragamo. The UCLA basketball team is in China to play its season opener against Georgia Tech in Shanghai, China. It is safe to say this would not be happening Saturday. After being questioned about stealing the sunglasses, the three players were released on bail early Wednesday morning, but were to go to their hotel rooms and wait for the legal process. The case had been reported to the U.S. authorities by Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for China's Foreign Ministry.

"China is handling this case in accordance with the law, and will guarantee the rights in accordance with the law, for those involved in this case," she said.Lavar, the father of LiAngelo Ball, said that the process "could take months."When LaVar was leaving the hotel later that Wednesday, he said, "I'm going to wait until I get some more intel on what's going on, and then I can tell you what's up."

He was asked if he was worried about his son. LaVar said, "He'll be fine. He'll be fine. Everybody's making it a big deal. It ain't that big of a deal."It is clear that the father is being nonchalant about the situation and maybe trying to stay calm and positive about what his son did in China.

Is it a big deal?

Of course it is a big deal! These players are old and smart enough to know right from wrong. These are young adults who are in another country who should automatically be on their best behavior. Not only are their reputations on the line, but they will most likely get a lot of backlash from the U.S. and no doubt from Donald Trump, who actually landed in China when the news of the players being arrested broke out. We will wait and see what our president has to say about these players, assuming it will be words like "firing" these three, or perhaps even worse words for the players than the situation of the players kneeling and not standing for our flag.

Chinese Law

China takes shoplifting VERY seriously. For shoplifting in China, a person can get up to ten years in prison. How will these players fight these charges? The rights are completely different in China than in America. The conviction rate in china is 99.2 percent for shoplifting and this poses a BIG problem for the players. The players will have to be apologetic and pretty much BEG for forgiveness.

Sponsors of the players do not have any obligation towards these players per se, but definitely hold moral grounds when it comes to this kind of thing.

The situation could go two ways; administratively or criminally. If it goes towards administratively, then this might mean a small fine, a slap on the wrist, and being banned from China. If this goes criminally, then the players will go to trial and would be facing prison time since the conviction rate is nearly 100 percent.

How will this most likely resolve?

Legal professionals think that this will resolve with a slap on the wrist for the players, maybe a fine and being banned from China from ever coming back.