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UCLA athletes arrested in China thank Trump

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Three UCLA basketball players who were arrested in China apologized to their families and fans and thanked President Donald Trump for helping to get their release.

Freshmen LiAngelo Ball, Cody Riley and Jalen Hill held the press conference Wednesday at the UCLA basketball stadium. It was the first time the college athletes have spoken publicly since Nov. 7, when they were held in Hangzhou — a little more than 100 miles southwest of Shanghai — for allegedly shoplifting.

Image: UCLA basketball players Cody Riley, LiAngelo Ball and Jalen Hill speak at a press conference at UCLA after flying back from China, where they were detained on suspicion of shoplifting, in Los Angeles Image: UCLA basketball players Cody Riley, LiAngelo Ball and Jalen Hill speak at a press conference at UCLA after flying back from China, where they were detained on suspicion of shoplifting, in Los Angeles

UCLA basketball players Cody Riley, LiAngelo Ball and Jalen Hill speak at a press conference at UCLA after flying back from China. Lucy Nicholson / Reuters

“I take full responsibility for the mistake I have made of shoplifting,” Riley said. “I know this goes beyond me letting my school down — I’ve let the entire country down.”

“To President Trump and the entire United States government, thank you for taking the time to intervene on our behalf,” he added.

The three players were detained while the their team toured China last week. They were released and returned to the United States on Tuesday.

All three thanked the president and the United States government. They also thanked China and the Chinese police for treating them well.

Prior to the press conference, Trump asked on Twitter whether the players would thank him for their release and said they were facing a 10-year prison sentence.

The athletes also thanked members of the UCLA staff as well as their families for sticking with them. They also apologized for their actions.

“I’m extremely sorry to those who I let down but I’m also thankful for all the love, help and support they provided,” Ball said. “And I take full responsibility for my action.”

UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero said the players stole from three stores while they were in China, and Coach Steve Alford said the players will serve indefinite suspensions while the athletic department and office of student conduct review the episode.

The incident garnered significant attention in part because Ball is the brother of Los Angeles Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball and is a member of the Facebook reality series “Ball in the Family,” which follows the Ball family. His father, LaVar Ball, is a former basketball player known to make brazen and controversial statements.

The three athletes were arrested only a day prior to President Donald Trump’s arrival in China, and Trump said he spoke to President Xi Jinping about the situation.

“I had a great conversation with President Xi,” Trump said aboard Air Force One Tuesday. “He was terrific, and they’re working on it right now. And hopefully everything is going to work out.”