John Wall Says Steph Curry Will Punish Lonzo Ball

NBA All-Star John Wall says NBA players -- especially Steph Curry -- will punish UCLA star Lonzo Ball for his father's smack talk, saying all the hype has definitely put a target on the kid's back.

We talked to Wall as he was in New Orleans getting ready for the All-Star game Sunday ... and asked about Lonzo's dad, LaVar, telling TMZ Sports his son was gonna be BETTER than Steph Curry.

The comments caught fire ... with a lot of people wondering if LaVar's fatherly pride was biting off more than his son's game can chew.

Wall told us he DEFINITELY thinks Lonzo is a legit baller ... but said there's no doubt about the fact that the entire league ... especially Steph ... will be lining up to take a chunk outta his ass next year.

"He's putting a lot of pressure on his kid ... he's adding fuel to the fire for when he plays Steph Curry, or any other point guards after he gets drafted."

We guarantee you this ... LaVar and his crew ain't scared at all.