The war of words between Donald Trump and LaVar Ball has been taken up a notch. Wednesday morning, (Nov. 22) Trump took to Twitter to remind Ball it was his efforts which helped his son and two other University of California at Los Angeles basketball players get out of their sticky shoplifting incident.
It wasn’t the White House, it wasn’t the State Department, it wasn’t father LaVar’s so-called people on the ground in China that got his son out of a long term prison sentence – IT WAS ME. Too bad! LaVar is just a poor man’s version of Don King, but without the hair. Just think..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22, 2017
…LaVar, you could have spent the next 5 to 10 years during Thanksgiving with your son in China, but no NBA contract to support you. But remember LaVar, shoplifting is NOT a little thing. It’s a really big deal, especially in China. Ungrateful fool!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22, 2017
LiAngelo Ball, Cody Riley and Jalen Hill were arrested in Hangzhou, China during a tournament. The trio returned to the states last week, and were subsequently suspended from the team. Upon the group’s arrival, Trump voaclized his efforts weren’t being recognized.
To the three UCLA basketball players I say: You’re welcome, go out and give a big Thank You to President Xi Jinping of China who made…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 16, 2017
Trump’s irritation may have also been compounded by the elder Ball’s sit down with ESPN. The 49-year-old–who has made a name for himself by being gregarious and sometimes arrogant–said the president is exaggerating his role in his son’s return to the states.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/c/embed/3fb4fcf8-ce86-11e7-a87b-47f14b73162a
“What was he over there for? Don’t tell me nothing. Everybody wants to make it seem like he helped me out,” Ball said. “I don’t have to go around saying thank you to everybody.”
Trump’s Don King reference caused the infamous boxing promoter to trend on social media with many wondering if this is a new low, even for the president.
Let’s be clear, LaVar Ball isn’t like Don King. King murdered a man, exploited boxers, and stole millions and millions from them.
And he also went into business with Trump.— profloumoore (@loumoore12) November 22, 2017
Of course @realDonaldTrump is tweeting about Lavar Ball & Don King instead of the troops lost at sea heading to the USS Ronald Reagan. Donald, YOU’RE THE PRESIDENT, DO YOUR FUCKING JOB!
— George W Bush (@George_W__Bush_) November 22, 2017
This Morning Trump made 2 Tweets about LaVar Ball / Don King and 1 about the NFL. He decided to attack FREE SPEECH instead of tweet about the US Navy troops lost at sea while heading to the USS Ronald Reagan.
— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) November 22, 2017
It wasn’t the White House, it wasn’t the State Department, it wasn’t father LaVar’s so-called people on the ground in China that got his son out of a long term prison sentence – IT WAS ME. Too bad! LaVar is just a poor man’s version of Don King, but without the hair. Just think..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22, 2017