LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 01: UCLA guard LiAngelo Ball (15) looks on before an college exhibition basketball game between the Cal State Los Angeles and the UCLA Bruins on November 1, 2017, at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

LiAngelo Ball, younger brother of Los Angeles Lakers guard Lonzo Ball and current UCLA Bruin, is on his way back to Los Angeles with two teammates after the trio were detained on shoplifting charges by Chinese authorities.

The Pac-12’s experiment with games in China didn’t go off without a hitch, as three members of the UCLA men’s basketball team were arrested last week for allegedly shoplifting from three stores. After being detained for a short time, it seems that the trio, which includes LiAngelo Ball, are headed back to the United States and the matter has been resolved.

This news, confirmed by the commissioner of the Pac-12 Larry Scott, should put to rest the matter of Ball’s legal proceedings in China. Ball, along with teammates Cody Riley and Jalen Hill, will not have to return to the country for any further proceedings, and their future travel from/to the country has not been affected.

Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott confirms the release of the UCLA trio arrested in China pic.twitter.com/rJcxlB7JJW — Jeff Eisenberg (@JeffEisenberg) November 14, 2017

The relatively quick and painful resolution of the situation should be taken as a positive sign for not only the trio of UCLA players but for the Pac-12 as well. Ken Sugiura of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution identified that the law in China required 20 days of house arrest and then a permanent ban on travel to the country for foreigners found guilty of shoplifting. The fact that Ball and his teammates are headed back to the United States with no further penalties is a sign that the Chinese government wants to continue to work with the conference.

In reading Scott’s comments, that’s the best possible scenario at this point for the Pac-12. The conference has another game scheduled on Chinese soil next year, and this incident could have derailed those plans.

It looks like this matter has been resolved, but it probably goes without saying that in future visits to the country, Pac-12 personnel will keep a tighter leash on their players. The Chinese government may not be as forgiving again.