Los Angeles Lakers

Lady Baller Alert ... Lonzo Ball and his girlfriend are having a baby girl!!

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Zo's H.S. sweetheart Denise Garcia is pregnant with a Baby Baller. Zo talked with Mike Trudell about his kid on the way on Thursday, revealing the baby is due July 16.

We're told the pregnancy is going well and the baby is looking healthy. Denise's family is excited to meet the baby. Zo says adding a girl to the BBB empire is gonna be a big change.

"It’s crazy. My whole family is all boys. We only have like two girls in the whole family," Ball says. "It’s just my mom and her mom. My dad has five brothers (and two sisters), I have my two brothers (obviously). All boys."

Gary Payton is stompin' out all the LiAngelo Ball-to-L.A. buzz -- saying what the Lakers need is a damn superstar, not Lonzo's little bro!!

GP's son, Gary II, is on a 2-way deal with the Lake Show this season ... so he's been keeping a close eye on the squad and, of course, the Ball fam.

Gary only had nice things to say about 'Zo and LaVar ... but when it came to L.A. grabbing 'Gelo in the NBA draft, the Hall of Famer wasn't having it.

"I don't believe in that," Payton told TMZ Sports. "I don't think teams are ignorant like that ... what the Lakers need is a big-time star, a leader."

From Lithuania to the Lakers?

Looks like that's exactly what LiAngelo Ball is trying to do, because according to his agent Harrison Gaines, the middle Ball brother has declared for the 2018 NBA draft!

Gaines told Yahoo! Sports Ball has filed the paperwork to make himself eligible, and he's expected to work out for NBA teams when his season playing for Vytautas Prienu is finished.

Before you scoff at the kid, 'Gelo is actually doing pretty well overseas -- averaging over 15 points while shooting 45% from beyond the arc.

In the past, LaVar has promised LiAngelo would team with Lonzo in L.A. ... but the question is if they, and everyone else passes on the kid ... what then?

The entire city of Houston is gonna shun Kenny Smith after watching this clip* ... 'cause the Jet tells TMZ Sports why LeBron should NOT join the Rockets in free agency this summer.

We spoke with Smith about reports claiming LBJ could bail on Cleveland for the Sixers, Lakers or Rockets this off-season ... and he says moving to H-Town would be unfair.

Smith says Bron Bron can keep his throne on the shores of Lake Erie and still compete for a ring every year ... 'cause he can just recruit players to Cleveland, instead of the other way around.

*We're kidding. Everyone loves the Jet.

Meanwhile, LeBron looked awfully comfortable and happy chillin' at his L.A. crib while in town to play the Clippers and the Lakers.

FYI, L.A. was a nice 70 degrees and sunny today. Cleveland was 32 and snowy.

Metta World Peace says Lonzo Ball isn't just killing it on the court, he's destroying the mic, too, telling TMZ Sports he's a huge fan of both of Ball's careers.

Metta was at LAX when we asked what he thought about Ball's return -- which has led to two pretty convincing blowout wins for the Lakers over the Mavericks and Hawks.

MWP says he thinks Lonzo's return to the court is a big reason for the Lakers mini-run of dominance, but then, out of nowhere, tells us that's not where his fanhood ends.

"He's a rapper, he's a really good rapper. I like his music actually."

Get happy, L.A. fans ... ex-Laker Steve Nash (remember that?) says the Lakers are "definitely" making the playoffs next year and they can do it with BOTH Lonzo Ball AND Isaiah Thomas on the team.

We got Nash and asked him about the great guard quandary in Tinseltown ... can Thomas and Ball share the backcourt together, or does one guy (looking at you, IT) got to go?

Not only did Nash say the guys can totally get along together, but when asked if the team -- currently 11th in the West -- will make the playoffs next year, Steve's answer was short but sweet.

"Definitely."

Magic Johnson is the consummate diplomat, turning LaVar Ball's threat to yank Lonzo from the Lakers into a testament on parenthood.

The beloved President of Basketball Operations for the Lakers was leaving Mastro's in Bev Hills Friday night with his wife Cookie, when our photog asked about LaVar's ultimatum -- put my 2 other sons on the team or say goodbye to Lonzo.

Magic doesn't miss a beat ... heaping praise on the elder Ball.

As for taking in a screening of "Black Panther" this weekend ... well, there's one thing more pressing.

The house-cleaning in Cleveland was all for nothing -- because LeBron James is leaving the Cavs to sign with the Lakers in the off-season ... at least, that's what LaVar Ball believes.

The Big Baller was at his pop-up shop in L.A. when we asked about the possibility of Bron coming out West to play with Lonzo when he becomes a free agent at the end of the season.

LaVar is not only convinced it's going to happen -- he tells TMZ Sports, "Lonzo is gonna make HIM a better player!"

He also loves the idea of having "two stars" on the same team -- and already has a nickname for the duo.

Lonzo Ball is "a ballplayer," not a rapper -- so says T.I. ... who tells TMZ Sports he's got ZERO interest in hitting the studio with the rookie MC.

Don't get it twisted -- T.I. thinks it's great Lonzo dropped a track in honor of LaVar ... but the King of the South ain't convinced Ball's serious about mastering the craft.

"He would have to establish himself and really, really put in the work as an artist, and he'd really have to dedicate himself to the arts, in order for me to take him seriously," T.I. told us at LAX.

Don't think T.I. realized 'Zo released a full 17-track mixtape, but the bottom line -- Ball's got A LOT of bars to spit to get respect in the rap game.

Lonzo Ball tells TMZ Sports there's no animosity whatsoever with new Lakers teammate Isaiah Thomas -- despite the fact they might be competing for the same job.

Lonzo -- who was at a Big Baller Brand pop-up shop in L.A. -- is sidelined right now with a sprained MCL and Thomas is playing the point guard spot while he's out.

Thomas' agent has made it clear Isaiah is demanding a starting role -- meaning he won't surrender the job to Lonzo without a fight.

LaVar Ball is back in the U.S. -- and he's digging in his heels on his threats to the Lakers ... sign my other sons or I'm taking Lonzo Ball somewhere else.

"Man, who don't want they sons to play all on the same team?" Ball told us in front of his reality TV show crew at LAX ... "Name one father who don't want they sons to play on the same team?"

We asked if Lonzo would REALLY leave if LaVar doesn't get his way -- he looked at the camera and said, "I'll let y'all figure that out."

When it came to Magic Johnson, LaVar tried to deflect -- but ultimately told us he's not afraid of the Lakers' President of Basketball Operations.

The comments come in the wake of reports Magic was upset with LaVar over Ball's criticism of Lakers' head coach Luke Walton.

In the end, Ball says he still believes Lonzo will be the NBA's Rookie of the Year and even gave us a mid-season grade for his son.

The Lakers have been CRUSHIN' IT the past few games ... and you can tell by all of the huge celebrity fans who've rushed back to their courtside seats!

Pharrell, Floyd Mayweather, Will Ferrell and a bunch of other stars were all courtside to watch the Purple & Gold put a beating on the OKC Thunder 106-81 ... L.A.'s 8th win in the last 10 games.

L.A. fans can be fickle when it comes to their sports teams -- even Jack Nicholson stopped coming to games and thought about giving up his tickets back in 2015 when the Lakers were terrible.

But now that the Lakers are on a hot streak, there's a pretty good chance we'll see Jack, Leo ... hell, maybe even David Beckham again?!

76er and Lakers fans REJOICE ... the broke ass jump shots of Markelle Fultz & Lonzo Ball can be fixed ... according to a pro shooting coach who says he knows the antidote to their bricks.

Fultz is befuddling the basketball world with his sudden inability to find the hoop, with videos of 76ers practice showing the #1 pick can't even draw iron anymore.

We spoke to Chris "Lethal Shooter" Matthews, an ex-pro hooper, who's worked with huge NBA stars on their form, and drawn millions of views on social media for his shooting exhibitions.

He says he can help Fultz, and Lonzo, another young player who can't seem to hit the broad side of a barn.

"I really truly believe I can help take those guys to the next level when it comes to the art of shooting."

Matthews goes on to tell us -- with all due respect -- exactly what he thinks the 76ers are doing wrong with Fultz ... and how he'd change things up.

Watch Chris in action below, the teams might wanna take the help.

Big Ballers come in all shapes and sizes ... so IG superstar The Fat Jew says LaVar Ball should hire him to be an official brand ambassador for BBB!!

"If they want like a heavyset guy with, like, a Shrek kinda body ... I would be down to rep for BBB," Fat Jew told TMZ Sports. "Yo, LaVar, let me know!"

Sounds like a joke, but we're pretty sure he's 100% serious. Fat Jew says he bought a pair of ZO2 slides in spite of their ridiculous price tag ... and ain't even mad they took almost a month to arrive.

Move over, Ball bros -- Shareef O'Neal says the Lakers are his #1 choice when he goes pro ... and if we were Magic Johnson, we'd start working OT to make it happen.

We got Shaq's son touching down in LAX ... and asked who he'd want to draft him since his NBA career is creeping up.

Shareef told TMZ Sports his favorite team and player were the Cavs and LeBron James, respectively ... but there's 1 thing that puts the Purple and Gold above playing with the King.

Mark Wahlberg wants to direct the movie based on Caron Butler's life ... and guess who's super stoked to hear that??

CARON BUTLER!!

TMZ Sports spoke with Tuff Juice about Marky Mark wanting to tackle Butler's story of a drug dealing childhood to becoming an NBA All-Star in his directorial debut ... and he says it's a dream come true.

Butler says Wahlberg is his top choice to direct the flick ... even with HUGE names like Peter Berg and Spike Lee being interested in joining the project.