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UCLA Basketball: All charges dropped for trio of Bruins in China

By Mike Regalado

MEMPHIS, TN - MARCH 24: Head coach Steve Alford of the UCLA Bruins reacts in the second half against the Kentucky Wildcats during the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament South Regional at FedExForum on March 24, 2017 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
MEMPHIS, TN - MARCH 24: Head coach Steve Alford of the UCLA Bruins reacts in the second half against the Kentucky Wildcats during the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament South Regional at FedExForum on March 24, 2017 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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The three UCLA basketball players who were arrested for shoplifting in China are reportedly on their way home to the United States with all charges being dropped.

After a week in the custody of Chinese authorities, it appears as if the UCLA Basketball players that were arrested for shoplifting are heading home.

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Last Tuesday, news broke from Hangzhou, China that LiAngelo Ball, Jalen Hill and Cody Riley had allegedly shoplifted from a Louis Vuitton store near UCLA’s hotel. Since then, it was reported that the three would have to stay under house arrest at the hotel for up to two weeks.

Yesterday, President Donald Trump has gotten involved with the situation and asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to look into the matter.

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Well it looks as if things have been expedited as the Wall Street Journal is reporting that all three were spotted at the Shanghai Pudong International Airport and apparently boarded a plane on its way back to Los Angeles.

In addition, according to ChinaSportsInsider.com, all charges against the three Bruins have been dropped.

Though it will be good for the three Bruins to finally come home, they are not completely free of the situation. We still do not know if UCLA is going to add some extra punishment to the time served in China.

Obviously these were serious allegations and embarrassment to the school, the Pac-12 Conference and the United States. UCLA needs to make an example of them, but what exactly will that entail?

Many Bruin fans are looking to past experiences for answers. The situation that keeps popping up is that of former UCLA Football coach Rick Neuheisel who kicked three players off the team for stealing laptops. In a lesser punishment, former basketball coach Ben Howland  had only suspended former Bruin Nikola Dragovic two games after he was arrested for assault.

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Either way, these three need to be made an example of. They escaped major time in China, but they should pay for their negligence and actions detrimental to the team.