UCLA players returned from China

Trio of alleged shoplifters may face discipline from university

LOS ANGELES >> The three UCLA basketball players detained in China on suspicion of shoplifting have been allowed to return home, where they may be disciplined by the school as a result of the international scandal.

Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said the matter “has been resolved to the satisfaction of the Chinese authorities,” and freshmen LiAngelo Ball, Jalen Hill and Cody Riley were back in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The players were detained in Hangzhou for questioning following allegations of shoplifting last week before the 23rdranked Bruins beat Georgia Tech in their season-opening game as part of the Pac12 China game. The rest of the UCLA team returned home last Saturday.

According to a source, the Pac-12 has decided that any discipline involving the trio would be up to UCLA.

“I want to be clear that we take seriously any violations of the law,” UCLA Chancellor Gene Block said in a statement. “In this particular case, both Athletics and the Office of Student Conduct will review this incident and guide any action with respect to the involved students. Such proceedings are confidential, which limits the specific information that can be shared.”

There was no immediate word on the trio’s status for tonight’s home opener against Central Arkansas.

The school said the three players, along with coach Steve Alford and athletic director Dan Guerrero, will make their first public comments about the matter at a campus news conference today, but won’t take questions.

Scott thanked President Donald Trump, the White House and the State Department for their efforts in resolving what he called “the incident with authorities in Hangzhou, China.” He indicated that UCLA made “significant efforts” on behalf of its athletes.

It wasn’t clear under what terms the players were freed to return to the U.S.

“We are all very pleased that these young men have been allowed to return home to their families and university,” Scott said.

Trump said Tuesday he had a long conversation about the three players’ status with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

Ball, Hill and Riley were expected to have an immediate impact as part of UCLA’s highly touted freshman class.