Los Angeles Lakers

The L.A. Lakers have backed out of plans to ink a 10-day contract with Jamil Wilson in the wake of a sexual battery lawsuit in which the player is accused of giving a woman herpes.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... the woman claims she's been diagnosed with herpes simplex 2 and believes Wilson gave it to her during unprotected sexual encounters. She believes he knew he was a carrier but concealed it from her in order to gain consent.

The Lakers had reportedly planned on signing Wilson on Wednesday ... but according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the team is hitting the brakes. Woj says the team isn't ruling out signing Wilson somewhere down the line.

Wilson's agent, Steve McCaskill, told ESPN the player plans on taking legal action of his own.

The Ball bros (mostly LaMelo) had some sick hoops to kick off their pro careers in Lithuania ... but there was some ugliness, too -- and we cut up the video for all you Ball fans/haters out there.

Young Melo probably had the plays of the game -- a dope, no-look dish on a fast break and a Kobe-esque up-and-under reverse (see that, Lakers??). But LM also got sloppy with the rock and missed all his 3-balls.

LiAngelo got the start and looked sluggish out the gates ... but recovered to outscore his little bro, 19 to 10.

Of course, LaVar was watching in the stands -- and lost his mind whenever anything good happened.

Oh, and over 100,000 FANS tuned in. BBB's clearly doing something right.

Lonzo Ball just won Christmas ... going full Big Baller style, copping a $350k Rolls-Royce for his dad, LaVar, and his mom, Tina ... and their first ride was caught on video.

Ball unveiled the new ride on his social media with the hashtag "It's the least I could do" ... though something tells us he knows he's doing the most.

Of course, the Balls aren't strangers to fancy cars -- all the boys push Lamborghinis -- but we're guessing Lonzo felt it was time his dad got in on the act as well.

We had our office car experts check the ride out, and it looks to be a Rolls-Royce Dawn, which retails around $350K ... good use of Lonzo's $6 million salary from the Lakers this year.

Get this ... Lakers player Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is serving a 25-day jail sentence -- AND playing in the NBA at the same time.

No, this is not a joke.

24-year-old KCP was sentenced to 25 days after pleading guilty to violating his probation stemming from a DUI arrest in Michigan back in March.

The NBA player was initially sentenced to 12-months probation -- and was required to submit to drug and alcohol testing. Problem is ... he didn't comply, so the judge ordered him to be locked up.

But here's the catch ... the judge allowed KCP to do a "work-release" sentence -- where he's locked up at a facility for most of the day ... but he's allowed to leave to do his job.

Lonzo Ball ain't the only Lakers rookie looking to make a dent in the sports apparel game ... his teammate, Kyle Kuzma, is also hawking his own line of shirts -- and they're selling like crazy.

Kuzma teed up some "Kuzmania" shirts on his website over the weekend -- and sold all 1,000 of 'em super quick. Now, he says he's got another batch on the way.

And get this ... they actually have a reasonable price tag at $27 a pop ... roughly half the price of a Big Baller Brand shirt.

And with Kuzma coming off a 38-point performance against the Rockets, his stock is rising in a big way.

Think LaVar's jealous??

Of course, Kuz and Lonzo are pretty tight -- Kuz even roasted Zo for his "$600" BBB hat -- but you gotta wonder if this is a little bit of a swag rivalry.

Kobe Bryant just got the first endorsement for the political career we're not sure he even wants yet ... U.S. Congressman Peter King says Kobe's got everything it takes to be an all-star politician.

Magic Johnson seemed to hint that Kobe's post-NBA calling was politics during a speech at the Mamba's jersey retirement ceremony, when he said Bryant had the ability to bring all people together.

We saw King -- who represents New York's 2nd district -- in D.C. and asked for an expert's opinion on the honorable Kobe Bryant from California, and here's the thing ... King seemed down with it.

BTW -- King uses all kinds of weird hoops analogies to give Kobe props, but the main takeaway is, he's on board.

Tons of huge stars flocked to Staples Center to watch the Lakers retire Kobe Bryant's #24 and #8 jerseys ... but Floyd Mayweather's terrible outfit almost stole the show.

Take a look ... it's like if a couch pattern was an NBA uniform.

There was more crazy fashion ... LaVar Ball was covered head-to-toe in BBB gear. Allen Iverson paid tribute to Kobe with his G.O.A.T. shirt. Adam Levine rolled out the sweatpants and Gucci boots.

Shaq, Derek Fisher, Lamar Odom, Caron Butler ... just some of the huge names paying tribute to the Mamba on Monday.

Kobe Bryant's next move should be running for political office ... at least that's what Magic Johnson intimated Monday night at Staples Center.

Magic gave a rousing speech to honor his fellow Lakers great during Kobe's jersey retirement ceremony. Besides giving props to the Mamba's basketballs skills, he seemed to tap him for public office.

Magic said, "We need you right now. When I look into this audience there's all race of people come together. This country needs to come together, and you were able to bring us all together as a city for 20 years."

No doubt, Magic was taking a light jab at President Trump -- but suggesting Kobe parlay his sports popularity into politics would be a first.

This is a pretty hilarious clip ...

We saw Kyle Kuzma out in L.A. over the weekend with one of his pals and asked the Lakers rookie if he's supporting Lonzo Ball's Big Baller Brand.

Remember, Kuzma clowned on his teammate on social media last week -- saying, "Y'all really spending 600 dollars for this hat?" ... followed by some trash emojis.

So, we followed up with Kyle -- and while Kuzma didn't speak, his friend sure did ... "F*ck no he wouldn't buy one!!!"

That's when Kyle tried to do some damage control ... but it was too late.

We know ... it's all in good fun -- but still pretty hilarious.

Listen up, LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball -- in case you're having any second thoughts about Lithuania ... we found a team for y'all that tours the whole damn globe!

That's right -- we got Cheese and Jet of the Harlem Globetrotters out in NYC ... and they told TMZ Sports they'd be totally down to bring in the Ball bros.

"If it doesn't work out, come to the Globetrotters! Or come here first -- forget Lithuania!" Cheese said.

Dope offer for BBB ... but also kinda funny considering their teammate, Hoops, told us big bro Lonzo ain't exactly Globetrotter material.

LeBron James might just be Nostradamus ... because he predicted Lonzo Ball would run from the wrath of a royal thunder dunk ... and in Thursday night's game, Ball did just that.

LBJ made the prognostication while visiting kids at the Cleveland Clinic (awesome guy) earlier this week when a brave young man named Andrew asked him to dunk on Lonzo.

"He might not be in my way! Once he sees I'm about to take off, he might move out the way."

Fast forward to the 2nd quarter of the Lakers vs. Cavs game on Thursday night -- 'Bron gets a pass from J.R. Smith and barrels towards the basket ... and this happens.

To be fair to Lonzo -- lets be real, he made a smart decision.

Sorry, Laker Nation -- Robert Horry says LeBron swoopin' up another castle in L.A. does NOT mean King James is joining Lonzo and friends next year.

We got the Lakers playoffs legend leaving Blake Griffin's comedy show in Hollywood ... and Horry broke it down for us, plain and simple.

"You got money like that, you can have two big cribs anywhere you wanna have 'em!!" Big Shot Bob told TMZ Sports.

Horry says it's clear that Bron loves L.A. livin' ... after droppin' a combined $44 MIL on his mansions in Tinsel Town.

You're a fool if you think LaVar Ball and Donald Trump actually hate each other ... 'cause they're just trolling the world for fun -- so says NBA big man Roy Hibbert.

We got Roy at LAX ... and showed him LaVar's new GIF animation of him POSTERIZING the POTUS.

The ex-Laker thought it was pretty cool ... but wasn't about to pretend like there was anything to it.

"I bet they’re best friends," Hibbert told TMZ Sports. "It's playful banter ... they’re probably friends on the low."

Roy might be onto something -- check out how LaVar greeted frenemy Joel Embiid at yesterday's Lakers-76ers game ...

LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball are destined to be Lakers -- so says former UCLA star Shabazz Muhammad, who's got no doubt LaVar's master plan is gonna work to perfection.

We got Bazz out on Rodeo Drive before his T-Wolves crushed the Clippers on Wednesday ... and he told us he's known the Ball boys for years -- and thinks both Gelo and Melo have what it takes to team with Lonzo in L.A.

"Think so, man" Muhammad told TMZ Sports, when we asked if LiAngelo could cut it in the NBA. "I think they gonna play all on the same team, too."

Kobe Bryant's youngest daughter, Bianka, just turned 1 -- so naturally, he took the whole fam out to his absolute favorite place to celebrate.

Nope, not the basketball court ... the Magic Kingdom -- so Baby Mamba could get the full Disneyland experience on her big day. (Props to Mrs. Bryant for going all-in with the Minnie Mouse ears).

Kobe was on daddy duty ... but #MambaMentality also locked onto the concessions so he could cop a Shaq-sized Churro.

If this feels familiar ... it's probably 'cause Bryant has hit up Mickey and pals a TON throughout the years -- including a trip in the spring where he turned up with Bianka.

No matter how you feel about LiAngelo Ball ditching UCLA, leave 'Gelo out of it ... 'cause LaVar Ball didn't let his son call his own shot -- so says Rockets PG Briante Weber.

"Daddy rules, so he probably had no say-so," Briante told TMZ Sports outside Poppy in L.A. "He's really just following what his pops said."

Maybe, maybe not. In an interview on Tuesday, LaVar essentially said he made the decision for LiAngelo ... but added that they were "on the same page."