President Trump on Wednesday fired back at the father of a basketball player who was released from China this month after sparring with the man, LaVar Ball, over his level of gratitude.
“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,” Trump tweeted early Wednesday morning. “Too bad! LaVar is just a poor man’s version of Don King, but without the hair.”
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
King, a boxing promoter, is one of Trump’s longtime friends.
Ball has refused to thank Trump for helping to secure his son’s release from Chinese custody during an official state visit this month. Trump appealed directly to Chinese President Xi Jinping to release the basketball players, who were arrested for shoplifting.
Three University of California Los Angeles players — LiAngelo Ball, Cody Riley, and Jalen Hill — had traveled with their team to China to play a season opening game in Shanghai this month. The three were arrested for allegedly attempting to steal sunglasses.
“Just think … 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,” Trump tweeted on Wednesday. “But remember LaVar, shoplifting is NOT a little thing. It’s a really big deal, especially in China. Ungrateful fool!”
…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
Trump had vented on social media previously about the lack of gratitude demonstrated by the three players he released, prompting them to hold a press conference in which they personally thanked the president.
Trump has also gone after LaVar Ball via Twitter twice in the last week over his public comments. He quipped that he “should have left them in jail” due to LaVar Ball’s “unaccepting” attitude about the rescue.
Also on Wednesday morning, Trump retweeted a user who said party affiliation shouldn’t matter when it comes to securing the release of one’s son.
“The ungratefulness is something I’ve never seen before,” user @Realjmannarino tweeted. “If you get someone’s son out of prison, he should be grateful to you! Period. I don’t care. If Hillary got my kid out of prison, as much as I hate the woman, I’d thank her corrupt ass!”
