Trump got his thank-you from UCLA players in their first comments on China arrest

pulse

November 15, 2017 7:32 PM

The UCLA freshman basketball players who were arrested on shoplifting charges during a trip to China thanked President Donald Trump for aiding their release.

The three UCLA basketball players arrested in China spoke publicly Wednesday for the first time about the situation.
The players thanked President Donald Trump after he wondered earlier in the day whether they would.
Trump intervened on the players' behalf during his recent trip to China.

The three UCLA freshman basketball players who were arrested and charged with shoplifting during a trip to China gave President Donald Trump the thank-you he was looking for.

Earlier Wednesday, Trump wondered on Twitter whether the players would thank him for intervening on their behalf.

The three players held a press conference late Wednesday morning in which they spoke about the incident publicly for the first time. All three players thanked several people, including Trump.

"I would also like to thank President Trump and the United States government for the help they provided as well," said LiAngelo Ball, the younger brother of the NBA star Lonzo Ball.

After the players spoke, UCLA's head coach, Steve Alford, announced that the players had been suspended "indefinitely."

The three players were expected to remain in their hotel in China for up to two weeks as they waited for their case to be resolved. They were sent home, however, shortly after Trump made a personal plea to President Xi Jinping of China to assist in the case.

pulse