Stephen Jackson says "the tears will never go away" when it comes to George Floyd ... with the ex-NBAer breaking down as he opened up about his close friend's death.
Of course, Jackson and Floyd grew up together in Houston, TX ... and Stak often referred to him as his "twin."
Jackson -- who has been at the forefront of the social justice movement since Floyd's death in May 2020 -- described his emotions a year later ... and it's heartbreaking.
"The tears will never go away because I really lost family," Stak said on the "Charges With Rex Chapman" podcast.