Lil Wayne says there is a basketball player better than Michael Jordan ... but it ain't LeBron James.
"These days they think the tough question is Jordan or LeBron. No. Jordan or Kobe is the tough question ... but it's Kobe."
The rapper made the shocking revelation in a video released Monday ... saying even though it physically pained him to make the declaration -- he says the Mamba was just that good.
"God, forgive me. Jordan, forgive me. But, it's Kobe.