NBA

LaVar Ball says he had absolutely nothing to do with word of Lonzo's knee injury getting out, and neither did anyone in his camp family ... because the Balls don't roll like that.

We got LaVar at LAX Friday and asked about the recent report that the Lakers think someone on Zo's side leaked news of his torn meniscus and potential surgery to keep him from getting traded ... he calls BS.

"I don't leak nothing. I always say what's on my mind, so you don't never see me saying, 'I think I should say this now and let it leak.' I don't do that."

LaVar says he's never babied his son or even talked about him being hurt ... so the media should look for leakers elsewhere.

He also touches on Lonzo's relationship with his new teammates -- LeBron and Rondo -- but tells us he's been busy with his own business this summer ... so he doesn't have all the answers.

Well, THAT didn't take long ...

LeBron James hasn't played a minute for the Purple & Gold yet ... but that hasn't kept him from getting the Kobe Bryant treatment ... getting a MASSIVE mural in the streets of L.A.!!

Just days after announcing his decision to bail on Cleveland again, King James has been painted on Baby Blues BBQ in Venice ... donning his new threads and trademark stare.

We're told the artist behind the mural is Jonas Never -- who just completed a piece for the late Anthony Bourdain -- with the help of fellow artist Menso ... and it took about 12 hours to complete.

Clifford Rozier -- college basketball star and Golden State Warriors' first-round pick in 1994 -- has died from a heart attack at the age of 45 ... Rozier's brother tells TMZ Sports.

We spoke to Kobie Rozier -- who told us the former Louisville standout went into cardiac arrest two days ago ... and was put on life support. Kobie says Cliff passed away Friday morning in Florida.

Rozier -- a 6-foot-11 center -- was a consensus first-team All-American in '94 (Jason Kidd and Grant Hill also made 1st team) after he averaged 18.1 points and 11.1 rebounds per game with the Cards.

Clifford went on to spend four seasons in the NBA after the Warriors selected him with the No. 16 overall pick in the draft.

Don't sleep on the Clippers -- so says Patrick Beverley who tells TMZ Sports his "superteam" is better than Golden State AND the Lakers ... if they can stay healthy.

Beverley says he and Avery Bradley are the best two defenders in the HISTORY of the NBA -- "that's like two Gary Paytons playing with each other."

He also says guys like Danilo Gallinari and Tobias Harris could push the Clippers into the upper echelon of the NBA.

As for rumors the Clippers could go after Kawhi Leonard, Beverley says it would be cool to get a star like KL ... but, they don't need him.

LeBron James was FEELIN' HIMSELF in Italy on Friday -- busting out some dance moves while a local band played "I Will Survive" ... and the video is solid!

The Lakers' new $154-million man was relaxing with his wife, Savannah, at a night spot in Capri -- where the house band played the Gloria Gaynor classic.

LeBron fired up a cigar and did a little dancing -- while the other bar patrons pulled out their phones and shot videos and pictures of the King.

James and his wife didn't seem to mind -- by now, they're used to it.

It's funny that everyone else in the club is dressed up in button-up shirts and fancy clothes ... LeBron is wearing sweatpants and a hoodie.

Kendall Jenner and boyfriend Ben Simmons showed up to the same club as his ex, Tinashe, and things had to have been weird for everyone, although Tinashe brushed it off like a pro.

All three hung out at Delilah Thursday night in WeHo, but no one stayed out too late, which should be a sign things likely were awkward inside.

We got Kendall and Ben leaving the club first. After they leave, Tinashe follows and gets into her own car only a few minutes behind.

Then came the real shocker -- we ask if she and Ben are getting along, and Tinashe held up her phone. She says Ben was texting her WHILE he was in the club ... presumably right next to Kendall.

They've partied together ... they're fans of each other ... and now rapper YG says he knows why Paul George ultimately decided NOT to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers -- Kobe Bryant.

It's not a personal thing ... YG says PG knows the Lakers are (and always will be) Kobe's team and Paul would rather create his own legacy in Oklahoma City, which is why he re-signed with the Thunder.

"Make your own legacy, my n****," YG said.

"That's Kobe Bryant's team right there. The Lakers are Kobe's team. [Russell Westbrook] and Paul George got a chance to make the f*cking Thunder their team."

There's more ... YG added, "Paul George ain't trying to be up under the curse of the Lakers."

LeBron James may not be the richest guy floating off the Amalfi Coast right now ... because Jimmy Iovine just showed up!

The music mogul was spotted on a yacht with LeBron on the 4th of July -- as the NBA star continues to celebrate his new $154 million Lakers contract.

Unclear if LeBron is on Jimmy's yacht ... or if Jimmy is on LeBron's yacht -- but one thing is for sure ... they can both afford some sick boats!

By the way, they have a Beats By Dre connection -- Jimmy (who co-founded the company with Dr. Dre) made a fortune when Apple purchased it for $3.2 billion.

Did you also know ... LeBron ALSO made a ton of cash from the sale? He reportedly got a small stake in the company in exchange for promoting the brand back in 2008 and, when it sold to Apple, he made a cool $30 mil!

Here's proof Orlando Magic rookie Mo Bamba has been assaulting rims his entire life ... throwing down a massive, one-handed alley-oop as an 8TH GRADER ... and TMZ Sports has the footage.

The 6th overall pick in the NBA Draft was playing for Cardigan Mountain School back in 2013 ... when he asked his teammate to throw him a lob on an inbound play, and what follows is nothing short of amazing.

Not only does the then-14-year-old control the pass and throw it down, he's only a few inches from being eye-to-eye with the rim ... again, as an 8TH GRADER.

LaVar Ball is already clearing off space on Lonzo's trophy case -- telling TMZ Sports he expects FOUR CHAMPIONSHIPS now that LeBron James is on the Lakers!

"I called LeBron to L.A.," LaVar told us at a BBB pop-up shop at Sole Play in Atlanta ... "I knew he was coming to L.A., man! Everything lined up for me!"

But, what about the Golden State Warriors signing DeMarcus "Boogie" Cousins -- is LaVar concerned about the reigning NBA champs??

Hell no.

"The Warriors can sign Boogie, Prince, Michael Jordan ... anybody they want! They still ain't gonna win with this team right here -- the Lakers with LeBron!"

"You don't give my son the best player in the game and don't think he gonna win no championships!"

LaVar -- who's getting ready for his JBA basketball games Tuesday night -- says he's still confident the Lakers will eventually sign his other 2 sons to the team and guarantees championships when they get there!

Doc Rivers tells TMZ Sports ... trading his son, Austin Rivers, from the Clippers to the Washington Wizards was "the right thing for all of us."

Austin played for his dad on the Clippers from 2014 to 2018. But, last week, the Clippers shipped the 25-year-old to the Wizards in exchange for Marcin Gortat.

"He'll be well," Doc says of his son ... "He'll be good there."

As for Austin, he says the move will be a "great opportunity."

It's over ... again.

The famous LeBron James banner in downtown Cleveland is officially coming down -- after the NBA superstar decided to leave the city and sign with the Lakers.

The banner -- a 10-story-tall billboard -- has become an icon in Cleveland, showing James doing his famous chalk throw before a game.

The removal ain't gonna be easy -- a Nike spokesperson said it could take a couple of days.

So, what's gonna happen to the banner? Sherwin-Williams -- which owns the building -- says it's evaluating the situation.

As we previously reported, the Cleveland Cavs official online team shop has already scrubbed LeBron from the front page -- and they're slashing prices on all #23 jerseys.

Mallory Edens -- the daughter of Milwaukee Bucks owner Wes Edens -- is PISSED that DeMarcus Cousins just signed with the Golden State Warriors ... saying, "It's not cool to try to win a chip on your own anymore huh."

Boogie -- a four-time NBA all-star and two-time All-NBA selection -- signed an extremely team-friendly deal with the Dubs that gives the reigning world champs maybe the best starting five in league history.

This, of course, ticked off Mallory ... who wondered if the whole deal was someone playin' a trick on her.

"R u joking this is just nuts at this point," Edens posted on social media.

Plan the parade ... with LeBron James in L.A., the Lakers are takin' down the Warriors and winning a ring ... so says 4x NBA champ John Salley.

Salley knows how to win -- he won 4 'ships with 3 different organizations -- and says LBJ's Lakers have the fire power to take down Steph Curry and Kevin Durant's Warriors ... and whoever the hell comes outta the East.

"It's destined to happen. It's gonna happen. Period."

How 'bout tix for the soon-to-be champs? J.S. says LBJ makes the Lakers the hottest ticket the town has ever seen ... hotter than when Kobe and Shaq did their thing ... hotter than Magic's Showtime Lakers.

LeBron James just touched down in Italy after sealing the deal on his new $154 MILLION contract ... and even his workout equipment is Laker colors.

Bron and his family were spotted Monday morning boarding a yacht in Positano -- a super fancy city on the Amalfi Coast where Magic Johnson usually spends part of his expensive summer family vacation.

In fact, Magic's wife, Cookie Johnson, just told us the family plans to rent out the same $700,000 per week yacht they vacationed on last summer with Sam Jackson ... and will sail to the same spots.

So ... does this mean Magic and LeBron will vacation together??? We'll see ...

LeBron's been doing a lot of traveling lately -- he was in Anguilla last week with the family (remember, he jumped off that cliff?) ... and then jetted back to Los Angeles to get the deal done with the Lakers.

And now that his contract is squared away ... it's back to vacation mode.

John Witherspoon doesn't care one bit that LeBron James is heading to the Lakers ... 'cause the actor thinks LBJ "holds the ball too long" -- and the Lakers will still be garbage with him!!

We got the "Friday" star out at LAX ... and when we asked about the King's new kingdom -- John went off.

"He ain't going to help them Lakers. He's going to help them do what? Lose the title?! ... Man, he holds the ball too long!"

John's most savage burn of the new Lake Show? That was reserved for Bron's new coach, Luke Walton.

"He wasn't nothing when he was playing! How's he going to tell them how to play when he wasn't nothing when he was playing??"

While celebs like Randy Jackson fight to get tickets to see LBJ at Staples ... we're pretty sure John's out when it comes to that bidding war.