Steve Kerr on the Trump, LaVar stuff: "Two people seeking attention…It'd be nice if you stopped covering both of them." pic.twitter.com/qwfL7I8sFr
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) November 19, 2017
It was only a matter of time, right?
At some point, the constant intersection of sports and politics was bound to bring President Donald Trump and the NBA’s first father, LaVar Ball together. Who knew it would happen so soon?
On Sunday morning, Trump tweeted about Ball, calling him “unaccepting” of the role Trump played in helping Ball’s son LiAngelo receive his release from a Chinese jail last week.
Now that the three basketball players are out of China and saved from years in jail, LaVar Ball, the father of LiAngelo, is unaccepting of what I did for his son and that shoplifting is no big deal. I should have left them in jail!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 19, 2017
LiAngelo Ball and a pair of his UCLA teammates were caught shoplifting during a team trip to China, and the student-athletes were detained in the country while the rest of their team flew home. Trump reportedly asked for the Bruins’ trio to be released, and earlier this week, the UCLA basketball players returned home.
On Sunday afternoon, Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr was asked about the Trump-Ball feud, and said that he wished the media would stop providing both men coverage.
“Modern life, people seeking attention and they’re both getting it,” Kerr said. “I’m sure both guys are really happy. You know what would help? If all of you just stopped covering both of them. You could probably stop covering LaVar, I don’t think you could stop covering (Trump). It would be nice for all of us if both of them could be quiet. Wouldn’t that be great?”
After the start of the Warriors’ contest against the Nets, Trump again tweeted about Ball, calling him “ungrateful” in a tweet that didn’t exactly offer any new information about the president’s opinion.
Shoplifting is a very big deal in China, as it should be (5-10 years in jail), but not to father LaVar. Should have gotten his son out during my next trip to China instead. China told them why they were released. Very ungrateful!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 19, 2017