If it wasn't for music, Rick Ross could've been a damn good basketball player ... at least, that's according to famed NBA shooting coach Lethal Shooter, who tells TMZ Sports the rapper's got the goods on the court!
Lethal -- real name Chris Matthews -- came to the conclusion after working with the "Hustlin'" artist earlier this month before he had to take a private jet to Las Vegas.
Matthews spent about an hour with the celeb ... and he was so impressed with Ross' work ethic, he said the dude could've been "elite" on the hardwood if he had chosen ball over hip hop.