Lavar Ball Pulls LiAngelo Ball out of UCLA, Will Train for NBA Draft

By SEAN BOCK & ADAM ZAGORIA

Lavar Ball has pulled his middle son, LiAngelo, out of UCLA and plans to prep him for the NBA Draft.

“He’s not transferring to another school,” he told ESPN. “The plan is now to get Gelo ready for the NBA Draft.”

“We learned today of LiAngelo Ball’s intention to withdraw from UCLA,” Bruins head coach Steve Alford said in a statement. “We respect the decision he and his family have made, and we wish him all the best in the future.”

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— Big Baller Brand (@bigballerbrand) December 5, 2017

According to TMZ, which first reported the news, Lavar made the decision due to the indefinite suspension LiAngelo — and UCLA teammates Cody Riley and Jalen Hill — are currently serving because of his arrest in China last month on shoplifting charges.

“There’s no need to break down a kid’s spirit for making a mistake,” Lavar told TMZ of the suspension. TMZ also reported that LiAngelo has not officially withdrawn from the school, but he’s at home and won’t return.

“I haven’t told any of those guys,” Lavar told ESPN of the UCLA staff before Alford made his statement. “They didn’t tell me anything, so why am I gonna tell them.”

Earlier this year, Lavar decided his youngest son, LaMelo, would be homeschooled for his remaining two years of high school. He has committed to UCLA beginning in 2019, but at this point it remains an open question as to whether he’ll ever suit up there.

Lavar did say recently his kids didn’t need school and could train/prepare for the NBA without high school or college. But while LaMelo is considered an NBA prospect, like oldest brother Lonzo of the Los Angeles Lakers, LiAngelo is not.