LiAngelo Ball Believes He Has Grown A lot Since The Shoplifting Incident

LiAngelo Ball is closing in on officially making an NBA roster. Considering all that Ball has gone through, now seems like the perfect time to open up about a very public scandal that set him back a few years ago.

The middle Ball brother spoke to Shams Charania of The Athletic this week. In the interview, Ball addressed his well-publicized shoplifting incident in China back in 2017 that led to his departure from the UCLA basketball team.

“It made me who I am today,” said Ball of the scandal. “I done dealt with so much. I done heard everything — good and bad. Nothing really bothers me. My skin is thick. When I play today, I just keep that same energy. 

“For sure, people cast judgment,” Ball continued. “I was young, I don’t look back on that. I just learned from it and kept pushing. I’m not gonna let one decision mess up my whole life.”

Ball has come a long way since that incident, and he is ready for a chance to prove he belongs in the NBA. Ball was a summer league standout, and he hopes to ride that wave into a roster spot in the NBA.