Anthony Davis gave a fan the bird on Wednesday ... and we ain't talkin' Pelicans.
The NBA superstar was caught flipping off a fan after the Pels vs. Hornets game in NOLA ... after he claims the person disrespected him first.
According to Pelicans Wave, the Instagram account that initially posted the encounter, AD alleges the fan said something that rubbed him the wrong way, which prompted the reaction.
Davis -- who publicly requested a trade earlier this season -- denies any bad blood towards the team or NOLA, saying "Never disrespected the city and never will.