UCLA Team Returns From China Minus 3 Players Arrested For Shoplifting
WESTWOOD (CBSLA) — Members of the UCLA basketball team and staffers arrived at LAX Saturday night minus three players arrested for shoplifting in China, reports KCAL9/CBS2's Jeff Nguyen.
UCLA has been tight-lipped about LiAngelo Ball, Cody Riley and Jalen Hill.
The university isn't saying whether they were allowed to come home.
ESPN has reported that the three are under house arrest in China while the legal process runs its course.
"As recent as today, we were talking about what were these guys thinking? Why were they doing this? Just why?," said UCLA senior Mark Betzen.
Both Riley and Hill were top recruits and Ball is the younger brother of Laker rookie Lonzo Ball.
All three were missing from the roster during the team's season opener in China Friday.
There have been reports executives at online giant Alibaba have been working on their release.
Whether the players will be allowed to return to the storied program is up in the air.
"I think UCLA is a lot bigger than one person's actions," said UCLA freshman Roshan Gupta. "We have 100 years of history. Excellent athletics. Excellent academics."
