"I Should Have Left Them In Jail!" Trump Regrets Getting Teen Basketballers Out of Chinese Prison

Though the headline suggests an awesome breakout inspired by The Rock, the reality is less cool.

Last week, President Donald Trump interceded in the arrest of three teenage basketballers in China.

The players—from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)—were nicked on suspicion of shoplifting while in China, and were detained, facing the prospect of years in jail.

President Trump apparently asked Chinese President Xi Jinping for leniency on behalf of players Cody Riley, Jalen Hill and LiAngelo Ball (the younger brother of NBA rookie Lonzo Ball).

A Chinese official confirmed that the case was “resolved according to law” and that “it’s in large part because the President bought it up.”

Trump then wondered on Twitter if the three players would thank him for stepping in.

At a press conference, Riley, Hill and Ball apologised and thanked their President for “helping us out”.

But Ball’s outspoken father, LaVar, suggested on ESPN that Trump had played a relatively small role in freeing his son.

“Don’t tell me nothing,” he said.

"Everybody wants to make it seem like he helped me out."

This throwaway comment from the trolliest of NBA dads was enough to rile up the sitting President of the United States, who took his fury to Twitter, saying he “should have left them in jail”.

Twitter had its own response.

Donald trump publicly beefing with Lavar ball is the season finale of 2017

— jackson (@Horse_Jeans) November 19, 2017

Lavar Ball rushing to do an interview about Donald Trump for more publicity pic.twitter.com/283LvXklwT

— Ryan Satin (@ryansatin) November 19, 2017

When we're all done laughing about Donald Trump fighting with LaVar Ball, let's have a serious conversation about the way the president speaks to and about people of color.

— Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) November 19, 2017

Photo: PBS & Twitter (@realDonaldTrump)