UCLA B-Ball players arrested in China-being detained...

LiAngelo Ball and LaMelo Ball sign with Lithuanian basketball team, Vytautas Prienai

The two brothers will travel to Lithuania in the first week of January and have some family with them. The two brothers are in New York at the moment. Lonzo and the Lakers will play the Knicks on Tuesday. All three and their father, LaVar, participated in a pop-up shop in Manhattan on Sunday, a day the Lakers had off. Thousands of people lined up to buy merchandise and get autographs and photographs with the family.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/nba/la-sp-ball-signs-lithuania-20171211-story.html

JerseyGirl said:

In checking up on the hoodlums:

LiAngelo Ball said he was told by UCLA to thank President Donald Trump following his return home from China. Ball said UCLA officials had him add a mention of Trump to the statement he had prepared.

"If they didn't tell me to do it, it wouldn't have been in there," Ball said regarding Trump.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...o-thank-donald-trump-for-release-after-arrest

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from link:
On Monday, LiAngelo and younger brother LaMelo Ball each agreed to one-year deals with Lithuanian professional club Prienu Vytautas, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Jonathan Givony.




hahahahahaha...they are playing in Lithuania?

katydid23 said:

from link:
On Monday, LiAngelo and younger brother LaMelo Ball each agreed to one-year deals with Lithuanian professional club Prienu Vytautas, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Jonathan Givony.




hahahahahaha...they are playing in Lithuania?

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hahaha, let's see how well this will turn out:

It is not uncommon for younger teenagers such as LaMelo Ball to sign with professional basketball or soccer organizations in Europe, but for his family, the task was finding a club that would want to take on the challenge of finding playing time for both brothers while dealing with the inevitable antics of their outspoken father. At the highest levels in Europe, basketball is highly competitive and coaches are vying for wins and job security, but Vytautas, which is based in a town of about 10,000 people, is reportedly struggling to attract fans and could use the publicity the Balls likely will bring.

In the meantime, at least for the first half of next year, the Ball brothers will undoubtedly experience some culture shock, particularly as the coach of Vytautas reportedly does not speak English. The club has rarely had Americans on its roster, let alone Los Angeles-based sports-world celebrities whose father has recently been immersed in a feud with President Trump.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...ian-professional-team/?utm_term=.e52600409e33

BC Prienai (Lithuanian: Krepšinio klubas Prienai), also known by the sponsor name BC Vytautas, is a professional basketball club based in Prienai and more recently taking up Birštonas. They play domestically in Lithuanian Basketball League and also compete in the Baltic Basketball League every year. During the 2008–09 season, then called Rūdupis they became the champion of the NKL and won the challenge match for a slot in the LKL. In their debut LKL season Rūdupis took seventh place, while next two seasons brought BC Prienai two bronze LKL medals. BC Prienai played in EuroCup 2011–12 with moderate success; the team managed to win 3 games out of 6, but nonetheless failed to qualify for the next stage. More recently, the team has become a strong competitor in domestic tournaments, more than once upsetting teams such as Žalgiris Kaunas and Lietuvos rytas Vilnius.


from wiki ^^^^


https://www.sbnation.com/2017/12/11/16764322/lithuanian-lamelo-liangelo-ball



What we know about the Lithuanian team that just signed LaMelo and LiAngelo Ball


Does Prienu Vytautas regularly employ Americans?
No, the only American employed by the club spent only a month with them.

Replying to @DraftExpress
Prienu Vytautas has only had one American player on their roster in the past decade, Brad Tinsley, who departed after a month of action, according to my research. The Balls would likely be faced with a major culture shock in Prienai, a small village of around 10,000 people.



Doesn’t really make sense at all. Same coach there is the one who told me during training camp (through translator) he wouldn’t play me much my rookie year at Rytas because he didn’t speak English.


Is their coach really like LaVar Ball?
Prienu Vytautas is coached by 50-year-old Virginijus Seskus, who is reportedly a hard-nosed, high-energy yeller from the sidelines who reminds some pundits of LaVar Ball himself.

Replying to @DraftExpress
Virginijus Seskus, coach of Prienu Vytautas, who is considering signing LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball, has been described to me as "the LaVar Ball of Lithuania". Very high energy guy apparently. Loves to get technical fouls. They'll get along great, despite him speaking no english.

What’s the best case scenario for the Balls?
This doesn’t seem like a great situation for them. LiAngelo Ball is a non-prospect who should be playing at a mid-major while LaMelo Ball needs more traditional development than sparse minutes against professionals who are 10 years older than him. Maybe the harsher environment will reign him in and force him to develop his playmaking skills.

That said, if the Balls flame out and are headed back to the states in just a few months, don’t say we didn’t warn you.

https://www.sbnation.com/2017/12/11/16764322/lithuanian-lamelo-liangelo-ball

Since the Ball kids don’t need no education they should pick up the language real quick, after all it aint rocket scientists. They’ll do just fine, and look at all that money they’ll be earning.

grammieto5 said:

Since the Ball kids don’t need no education they should pick up the language real quick, after all it aint rocket scientists. They’ll do just fine, and look at all that money they’ll be earning.

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$500 a month? They could make more at Burger King in a week.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...y-liangelo-lamelo-ball-will-earn-in-lithuania

Rocco said:

$500 a month? They could make more at Burger King in a week.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...y-liangelo-lamelo-ball-will-earn-in-lithuania

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LOL I know, I was being just a bit sarcastic

katydid23 said:

Is China a big Basketball powerhouse?

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Not really, but China has tens of millions of newly minted upper income people looking for ways to spend their recreation money. Professional sports tickets is one such way.

Then factor in that the Chinese government has concluded that sports dominance is a good way to present the growing influence of China. This means that the Chinese are actively promoting new western sports like basket ball, spending a lot of money developing local talent, and also importing foreign talent to jump start their leagues.

For example, the Chinese government has spent hundreds of millions building a "soccer city", importing some of the best soccer coaching talent and former star, now mentor type players from Europe, then screening hundreds of thousands of athletically capable Chinese sixth graders to identify budding world class soccer potential. Those that pass are then sent to "soccer city".

Cryptic said:

Not really, but China has tens of millions of newly minted upper income people looking for ways to spend their recreation money. Professional sports tickets is one such way.

Then factor in that the Chinese government has concluded that sports dominance is a good way to present the growing influence of China. This means that the Chinese are actively promoting new western sports like basket ball, spending a lot of money developing local talent, and also importing foreign talent to jump start their leagues.

For example, the Chinese government has spent hundreds of millions building a "soccer city", importing some of the best soccer coaching talent and former star, now mentor type players from Europe, then screening hundreds of thousands of athletically capable Chinese sixth graders to identify budding world class soccer potential. Those that pass are then sent to "soccer city".

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I am surprised that they are not playing in China then.

Why go to Lithuania to a rickety league instead of a well funded Chinese team?

They could also go to North Korea. Be coached by that ex basketball player that dressed in drag that time that visits there. Kim would love that.

JK

jggordo said:

They could also go to North Korea. Be coached by that ex basketball player that dressed in drag that time that visits there. Kim would love that.

JK

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[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

katydid23 said:

I am surprised that they are not playing in China then.

Why go to Lithuania to a rickety league instead of a well funded Chinese team?

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I think the core reason is the lack of an established track record at the Division 1 college level.

Dazzling performances in high school can be against drastically less talented opponents. Thus, the same athelete may perform very differently at the Division 1 level where everybody is gifted physically and everybody practices hard. In short, some highly rated high school stars "flame out" quickly.

With "flame outs" in mind, a Chinese or European big name team is not going to risk one of their limited number of "imported talent" slots (other slots must be reserved for locals) on a player with no proven track record against gifted opposition.

As a side note, Basketball has been popular in Lithuania for generations (star Soviet players often came from the Baltics) and their big name teams feature high level play and have sent players to the NBA. Though the team in question may well be 1A or 2A level, getting into the door in Lithuania gives room for advancement.

I believe coaches are in the business of building teams not only for this year and this season but for the future also. This takes coaching and grooming players. Just because a player in high school was a star doesn't mean they will on a college level. I cannot name a coach that is looking for a "one and done" player to recruit. I sure can't name a college that is from an academic level who is in the business of education, GPA's and degrees for excellence. That is what scholarships are meant for. Certainly not for students to make a one year commitment to a "team" and education.

The reason for the NBA regulation for one year at least of college or at least 19 years old is that a recruit has the maturity to join an NBA team. These kids clearly do not have that.

JMO

Now that the Balls are gone....

UCLA coach Steve Alford said that a decision on the length of the suspensions for Cody Riley and Jalen Hill could come as soon as the end of this week.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/la-sp-ucla-basketball-20171214-story.html

Alford said that after the school’s office of student conduct finished its review of the matter, UCLA chancellor Gene Block and a host others including himself and athletic director Dan Guerrero would have input on the fate of the suspended players.

Teammates who have now played nine games shorthanded seem equally eager for a resolution. Fatigue contributed to a meltdown in the final minutes Saturday during UCLA’s 78-69 overtime loss to Michigan.

JerseyGirl said:

Now that the Balls are gone....

UCLA coach Steve Alford said that a decision on the length of the suspensions for Cody Riley and Jalen Hill could come as soon as the end of this week.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/la-sp-ucla-basketball-20171214-story.html

Alford said that after the school’s office of student conduct finished its review of the matter, UCLA chancellor Gene Block and a host others including himself and athletic director Dan Guerrero would have input on the fate of the suspended players.

Teammates who have now played nine games shorthanded seem equally eager for a resolution. Fatigue contributed to a meltdown in the final minutes Saturday during UCLA’s 78-69 overtime loss to Michigan.

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UCLA coach says:

Alford discussed UCLA’s season thus far and broke down the Bruins’ tough upcoming matchup with Cincinnati, but he also provided a status update on Jalen Hill and Cody Riley.

Hill, Riley and LiAngelo Ball – who is no longer with the Bruins – were suspended indefinitely during the team’s trip to China in November. Here’s what Alford had to say about Hill and Riley:

“I know the situation is moving,” Alford said. “They’ve been in their meetings with the student conduct [board], and so we’re hoping we get that feedback as early as late this week, if not next week.”

http://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball...steve-alford-could-know-jalen-hill-cody-riley


So the other two players have been cooperative and have been meeting with the review board and probably been apologetic and humble. I think they are very lucky that the Ball family jumped ship.

I hope these 2 players get back on the team and start playing, while the Ball boys play in Lithunia for peanuts.

Oh Lord....La Var is at it again....:doh:


Now he is creating his own league , so high school athletes can SKIP COLLEGE completely...


LaVar Ball, who withdrew his son from college, wants to start a paid basketball league for players who don't go to college


The JBA "will cater to top-ranked high school basketball prospects in America," per a statement Ball provided to SLAM magazine, and will play its games according to NBA regulations. Most notable about Ball's plan, however, is the JBA's pay rate: The league would pay its players on a scale correlating with their national rank as high school seniors. The lowest-ranked player in the JBA would have a monthly income of $3,000, while the top-ranked player would make $10,000 a month.

All JBA players would additionally be outfitted with Big Baller Brand apparel. "They'll be wearing our uniform, our shoes, our T-shirts and our hoodies," Ball told ESPN.



So instead of getting a college scholarship, and learning something academic, while playing ball, La Var wants these kids to skip that altogether.

I think that is very sad because once they get paid for playing ball, they can never change their mind, and decide to go for the scholarship instead. They will not be able to play NCAA if they accept any pay.

College can broaden these kids horizons. They may be permanently injured, and lose their sports career. If they have no education, then what?

Someone stop this man.
Please.

Why LaVar Ball’s proposed league will fail — if it even happens at all

Only he’s not. LaVar Ball isn’t starting a league because even LaVar Ball knows how bad an idea this is. For starters, there is a league for players who don’t want to go to college. It’s called the G League. The NBA’s official minor league isn’t bound to the NBA’s one-and-done rule. Ex-high school stars can enter the draft pool on a Tuesday and be a Maine Red Claw on Wednesday night. The money isn’t great — salaries for non-NBA players range from $19,500 to $26,000 — but the league provides players with benefits, housing and NBA-level coaching.

Ball claims his league is an opportunity to be seen by pro scouts. Again, what? The G League is literally coached by rising NBA assistants, and its games are watched by NBA coaches regularly. Pro scouts will go where the talent is, but there is no incentive for any player to turn down a G League offer for LaVar’s glorified pickup games.

https://sports.yahoo.com/lavar-balls-proposed-league-will-fail-even-happens-024630486.html

How the Ball's signed with Lithuania:

The entire situation was set up by a confident employee of the team who reached out to the Balls' agent, Harrison Gaines, via Twitter, asking if the brothers would want to play for the club.

"I'm someone who believes anything can be done if you try," said Erikas Kirvelaitis, the 21-year-old employee who was hired to work for the team's communications department.

To his surprise, Gaines responded, asking for more details. The plan went into action, and the Ball brothers signed one-year contracts within a week.

"It was like a dream, crazy, a miracle, for our club to even have contact with them," Kirvelaitis said.

Some felt it was an underwhelming destination for the Ball brothers. The team's contracts reportedly do not pay much per week, and the Balls may have to start out playing in the Baltic league, the lower of the two leagues in which Prienu Vytautas plays.

Still, the town seems excited for the Balls. One pizzeria in town had a neon sign welcoming the family.

The mayor of the town said the attention they were getting was already exhausting.

http://www.businessinsider.com/liangelo-lamelo-ball-lithuanian-team-twitter-2017-12

Yes, seems like an underwhelming destination for the 'Big Baller' Bros. They took the first offer that reached out?