Ryan Lochte's a "loving" and "caring" person ... people just don't realize it, YET.
TMZ Sports talked to Lochte at LAX last night ... when we asked if his upcoming appearance on "Dancing With The Stars" would help repair his image.
(In case ya missed it ... dude's got a little bit of a PR problem.)
Lochte's answer is really interesting. It's clear he believes he's totally misunderstood.
We also talk about Ryan's skills on the dance floor.
Check out the clip!
