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Washington US President Donald Trump on Sunday took aim at the father of one of three college basketball players who shoplifted while in China, saying he failed to appreciate Trump's effort to win their freedom. Trump's latest tweet on the matter came after LaVar Ball, father of University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) basketball player LiAngelo Ball, implied that Trump had not helped get his son and two other players released from jail last week after they were caught shoplifting in China. LaVar Ball downplayed Trump's involvement when he was asked about the shoplifting incident by sports broadcaster ESPN.
""Who?" LaVar said."What was he over there for? Don't tell me nothing. Everybody wants to make it seem like he helped me out."
LiAngelo Ball, Cody Riley and Jalen Hill apologized Thursday for shoplifting from an upscale store in Hangzhou while they were in China for an exhibition game earlier this month.
They also thanked Trump for helping them win their release in written statements they read at a news conference after Trump said on Twitter they should thank him.
Trump later tweeted that all three should also thank Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying he made their release possible.
# Notebook
Internet links - [Trump on Twitter](http://dpaq.de/uBWiR)
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Editorial contacts - Reporting by: Gretel Johnston in Washington - Editing by: Robin Powell - Tel: +49 30 2852-31472;
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