LeBron James to LaVar Ball -- 'Keep My Kids' Name Out Of Your Mouth'

LeBron James is firing back at LaVar Ball -- warning the outspoken basketball dad to STOP talking about the James kids ... or else.

James is clearly furious with LaVar for recent comments he made ... in which he said LeBron's kids (LeBron Jr. is 12, Bryce is 9) are going to have a tough road ahead of them.

"It's going to be hard for [LeBron's] kids because they are going to look at them like, 'You got to be just like your dad,'" LaVar told Chris Broussard this month.

"And after a while, that pressure starts sitting on you like, 'Why do I got to be just like him? What can't I just be me?' And then they are going to be like, 'Aw, you're soft, you're not that good.' Because the expectation is very, very high."

Well, LeBron didn't take kindly to LaVar's public analysis.

"Keep my kids' name out of your mouth," LeBron told ESPN ... "Keep my family out of your mouth."

"This is dad to dad. It's a problem now."

"He can talk all about his brand, talk about his sons, talk about basketball, talk about me. But keep my family out of this."

LeBron wasn't finished ... he actually had a compliment for LaVar's son, Lonzo Ball.