Posted on 11/21/2017 11:23:39 AM PST by drewh
LaVar Ball's nationally televised interview about President Donald Trump's demands for gratitude went just as people who know Ball would've expected: ridiculously. During the interview, the 49-year-old Ball often provided circular answers to CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, but ultimately resisted giving Trump thanks for the Chinese government's pardon of his son LiAngelo Ball and two other UCLA basketball players. At one point during LaVar Ball's response to Trump — which is essentially what the interview had been billed as — the father seemed to chastise Trump for even asking for thanks.
LiAngelo Ball, Cody Riley, and Jalen Hill were arrested and held in China on suspicion of shoplifting. This was happening while the president happened to be in China, and he reportedly intervened to help get them out of jail. They returned to the U.S. on Tuesday, Nov. 14. The CNN interview with LaVar Ball came the day after Trump said he "should've left" LiAngelo Ball in jail, with the president taking offense with the father not giving the White House thanks. A day earlier, Ball, the polarizing father of three popular basketball players, responded "who?" when asked whether Trump deserved credit.
"If you helped, you shouldn’t even have to say anything. If I helped somebody, I don’t walk around saying, ‘You know I helped you now. C’mon now, give me some love. I helped you.'" Ball told CNN. "I'm just saying, 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 supposed to be the head of the — you know, you're the head of the U.S.?"
However, when Cuomo replied that it was fair of Ball to question why Trump would make others' gratitude a public talking point, Ball insisted that he was not criticizing the president. "What is the criticism [in] that? ... There's a lot of other things that's going on, man. Let him do his political affairs and let me handle my son and let's just stay in our lane," Ball said.
Ball is not only the father of LiAngelo Ball, one of three UCLA players who were caught shoplifting in China but allowed to return to campus without imprisonment, but also Los Angeles Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball and future UCLA player LaMelo Ball.
Before Ball was interviewed by CNN, the popular basketball dad had first spoken to ESPN. During that particular interview, Ball downplayed the notion that Trump had played a significant role in the Chinese government's decision to allow the three UCLA players to walk free.
"What was he over there for?" Ball rhetorically asked ESPN. "Don't tell me nothing. Everybody wants to make it seem like he helped me out."
It was this that seemingly prompted the Nov. 19 tweet from President Trump:
Despite Ball not thanking the president, his son LiAngelo and the two teammates with whom he faced potential jail time all thanked President Trump days before the father's interview with ESPN.
That fact did nothing to deter the president from saying he should have left the students in jail, however. Meanwhile, Trump's response on Twitter did nothing to persuade Lavar Ball that he should think twice about not giving the president credit.
Pool/Getty Images News/Getty Images "Did he help the boys get out? I don’t know. I don’t know," Ball told CNN. "If I was going to thank somebody, I’d probably thank President Xi. I’d thank him. He’s in China. He’s the head, the president in China. I mean somebody can make a suggestion and somebody can do something. You’ve got people who make suggestions and people who do things."
Within sports media, Lavar Ball is a much publicized figure known for delivering interviews hallmarked by boisterous claims and promotion of the family's company, Big Baller Brand. Ball's interview with CNN, despite not being about sports, was ultimately no different.
"I'll send you some Big Baller merch," he told Chris Cuomo before signing off. "You gonna be a Big Baller for ever."
“This explains his son’s behavior and where he gets his apparent sense of entitlement.”
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The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. If US citizens decide to go to unfriendly and/or 3rd world countries, they should accept the reality and consequences of their decision.
He must be feeling the heat of his glaring arrogance and stupidity in dissing The Donald.
I don’t think this man or Cuomo fully understand just how lucky those three were. I would reckon that if Obama were in office they would have sat in prison for years.
Secondly, what an embarrassment for our president to ask that the Chinese people not press charges for stealing? I mean, this father or any father should be on his hands and knees for getting their kids out without rotting in prison there.
la var is a true feral moron. LOL.
The more the dip**** insults the POTUS, the more of a loser the dip**** looks. Thanks drewh.
After thanking President Donald Trump for his criminal seed not languishing in a Chinese prison for the next decade, he should thank another white guy, Dr. Naismith, for inventing basketball.
Given his appalling "lead" as a father, it's likely the only thing keeping his badly defective progeny from being common street thugs, drug dealers and gang-bangers.
But don't hold your breath. This pimp-chump doesn't know how to be grateful. He's too busy waiting for his kids to make it big so he doesn't have to work or stand in the Welfare line. Disgusting.
A true idiotic ingrate, for sure.
There was a time when it was well understood that saying “thank you” after being helped was just common courtesy. Sheesh.
Has Daddy Ball admonished his son for thievery?
Ever seen Raw with Eddie Murphy? He does a hilarious bit about black peoples name being like a pharmacy isle. NyQuil was one name he used.
Why hasn’t UCLA kicked these thieves off the team?
The way LaVar spoke last night it was because of his boots on the ground that got his son out of China.
The look on Cuomos face during that interview was priceless. Saw a comment at TMZ..when a cnn host is defending Trump you know this lavar guy is wrong.
Typical snot nosed brat.
Steal definition,.... to take (the property of another or others) without permission or right, especially secretly or by force:
Theft....the act of stealing; specifically : the felonious taking and removing of personal property with intent to deprive the rightful owner of it....... an unlawful taking of property...
Yep! Wonder how many other times he has gotten away with stealing as he goes around the country? This wasn’t his first time.
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