Earlier this week, three UCLA basketball players were arrested in China for shoplifting. One of the players arrested was emerging basketball icon LiAngelo Ball.

The incident happened only three days before Ball and his team were set to play Georgia Tech in the annual PAC-10 overseas game. The players didn’t partake in the game; instead, they laid low in the team hotel after they were released from jail on bail.

Despite the rest of the team flying back to the states, Ball and the other two players remain in China. Sources from ESPN say that the players could remain there for one to two more weeks for legal reasons. It all depends on how fast China’s legal system moves.

Nothing has been set in stone yet, but the players are being accused of stealing Louis Vuitton sunglasses from an outlet mall located across the street from where the team was staying. Based on that info, the players could face up to 10 years behind bars for grand larceny.

When asked about his son, LiAngelo’s well known father, Lavar answered with a very calm demeanor.

“Everyone’s making it a big deal, it ain’t that big a deal,” said Lavar.

For the sake of UCLA basketball and the future of LiAngelo Ball’s career, hopefully the charges are not harshly enforced. All we can do is wait and see in the following weeks what will happen regarding the charges and when the players will return to the states.