UCLA basketball players 'arrested in China for shoplifting'

Three US college basketball players have been arrested in China for shoplifting, according to US media.

Authorities believe the players shoplifted from a Louis Vuitton store near the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) team hotel outside of Shanghai. The Bruins are in China to play Georgia Tech on Saturday in the season opener. The players were arrested Tuesday after local law enforcement came to the team hotel and questioned both UCLA and Georgia Tech players before taking the three away. ESPN first reported the arrests.

UCLA freshmen LiAngelo Ball is a UCLA freshman from Chino Hills, California, and is the younger brother of Los Angeles Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball. He is also the son of outspoken father and basketball sneaker entrepreneur LaVar Ball. The other two players are freshmen Cody Riley, of Kansas City, Kansas, and Jalen Hill, of Corona, California, according to a source.

LiAngelo Ball's father, former basketball player LaVar Ball, issued a statement to ESPN saying: "It is a very unfortunate situation that the Ball Family, and UCLA has to deal with at this particular time. We will comment shortly."