Brad Penner-USA Today Sports
LaVar Ball, the father of a UCLA basketball player arrested this month in China for allegedly shoplifting, has hit back at President Trump in an ongoing war of words over Trump’s role in securing his son’s return. Trump lashed out at Ball over the weekend for being “ungrateful” in refusing to recognize that he secured the release of LiAngelo Ball and two other players, saying he “should’ve left them in jail.” The basketball dad hit back Monday night. “Why is that on your mind? All this stuff going on and that’s on your mind, that a father didn’t say thank you? And you’re the head of the U.S.?” Ball told CNN’s Chris Cuomo. Ball again refused to thank Trump, saying he has no way to know whether Trump played a role in the Chinese authorities’ decision to let the athletes out of jail. “If you helped, you shouldn’t have to say anything… If I helped somebody, I don’t walk around saying, ‘You know I helped you now. Come on now, give me some love, I helped you!’” “Why are we even talking about this with all these political matters going on in the world?” he asked.