Three UCLA basketball players were reportedly arrested in China for shoplifting only a few days before the team's season opener Friday against Georgia Tech.
A person close to the situation confirmed an ESPN report that Bruins freshmen LiAngelo Ball, Cody Riley and Jalen Hill were the players involved with a police investigation in Hangzhou, China, where the team is staying.
It was not immediately clear whether those players had been detained or whether they would be allowed to play in UCLA's game against the Yellow Jackets in Shanghai on Friday night.
"We are aware of a situation involving UCLA student-athletes in Hangzhou, China," the university said in a statement. "The University is cooperating fully with local authorities on this matter, and we have no further comment at this time."
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that local police were called to the hotel where both teams are staying and inspected the contents of the UCLA team bus as players waited to depart for practice. Police interviewed players from both teams before clearing three players from Georgia Tech, according to a statement released by the school.
The three UCLA freshmen involved in the incident comprise nearly half of a seven-man recruiting class that was ranked as high as No. 5 in the country.
Ball is the younger brother of Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball and a high-volume shooting guard from Chino Hills High who scored 11 points on four-for-eight shooting during the Bruins' exhibition victory over Cal State Los Angeles last week. His father, LaVar Ball, told The Times that LiAngelo would attend UCLA for only one season before going on to the NBA.
Riley is an old-school, back-to-the-basket power forward from Chatsworth Sierra Canyon High who is also a tenacious defender. He forced a turnover in the backcourt and went in for a dunk during UCLA's exhibition and finished with eight points, five rebounds and two steals.
Hill, a high-energy power forward from Corona Centennial High, did not play during the exhibition because of knee soreness. UCLA coach Steve Alford said before the team departed that he was hopeful that Hill could play against the Yellow Jackets.
Riley said last week that he was looking forward to his first trip overseas.
"I had to get a passport, a visa, that whole process," Riley said. "We took care of that during the summer."
Did he have to get immunizations as well?
"Yeah, yeah, shots," Riley said. "My arm was dead for at least a day. I ain't had no shots like that."
