Big Baller Brand Goes Rogue

What would you do if you were 18 years old and drove a Ferrari? What would you do if you were 18 years old entering your first year of college and you already had your own signature shoe brand? For some it appears this type of success and wealth isn’t enough. Liangelo Ball is an 18 year old basketball star coming from a family that has recently become millionaires, because of their endorsed “Big Baller Brand” shoe company endorsed by NBA rookie superstar Lonzo Ball, the oldest son in the family. The two younger sons have felt the full effect of their brother’s basketball success, and furthermore, their increasingly controversial father’s popularity. This family seems to be in sports news every week, and each of the brothers seem to have very bright futures in the basketball world, as they both had full scholarship offers from UCLA, just like the older brother Lonzo had.

Despite this, Liangelo Ball made the decision to steal from a Chinese store on a UCLA team trip to Hangzhou, China. Liangelo Ball along with three other UCLA freshman basketball players were caught on camera shoplifting Louis Vuitton sunglasses from a store in China. The UCLA team was traveling to play preseason games to prepare for their upcoming season, when Chinese police interrupted their international trip. They barged into the team hotel in Hangzhou, China, where the stealing had apparently been committed, and questioned all players without allowing coaches to be present. I want to remind you that nothing has been proven, and I would like to uphold the American ideal of “innocent until proven guilty”, even though the crime wasn’t committed in the United States. However, the idea of “due process” is not a Chinese notion, and the Chinese have economic freedom but not much political and social freedom.
Shoplifting may be considered a petty crime in the US, but in China offenders can face up to 10 years in prison without much representation in the court system. The fact is Chinese officials claim they have video evidence of the players stealing, and they could possibly face 3 to 10 years if proven guilty without the safety of the American judicial system to save them. These players honestly could have committed no crime at all, but the lack of transparency of the Chinese government can’t be controlled by American officials, and these boys are in the hands of the Chinese judicial system.

However, President Donald Trump has reportedly spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping, and asked him to help resolve the issue involving the players. His recent visit to Beijing is where he discussed the topic, and the talks were summarized as positive. However, this is undoubtedly embarrassing to the UCLA program, and furthermore the United States. Basketball is becoming increasingly popular in China, and a lot of money has been invested into training young children to one day perform in professional leagues across the world. The NBA has mostly stolen the spotlight with Kobe Bryant’s Laker jerseys being the highest selling athletic jersey in China, ahead of superstars like Messi, and Ronaldo (ESPN). The College Basketball industry has recognized the success the professional basketball league has had in Chinese markets, and has sent its teams overseas to spur interest. The success of these ventures has been so profound that Chinese web network Alibaba has bought the rights to play college games in China (New York Times). This upcoming season was going to be the first season streamed abroad, and this news couldn’t come at a worst time. It may have no effect on the success of the new buisness deal, but the way Liangelo Ball has represented the US and college basketball is troubling for his own personal image, and the image of the United States.

Photo courtesy of NBC