Kurupt -- Donald Sterling Got Screwed ... 'He's a Great Guy'

In today's episode of "Things You Never Thought A Black Guy Would Say" ... West Coast hip hop legend Kurupt is going to tell us what a great guy the NBA lost in ... Donald Sterling.

Here's the thing ... he's not kidding.

During the 5-minute interview with vladtv.com ... the rapper praises Sterling as a "great guy" -- who got screwed over by the NBA.

"They took a good man down," Kurupt says with a straight face ... despite the fact Sterling said on-tape that he didn't want V. Stiviano bringing black people to Clippers games.

Kurupt also explains his friendship with Stiviano ... and defends her too.

FYI -- Kurupt's making his living these days by pushing medical marijuana in L.A.