Ex-NBA superstar Steve Francis called police "groupie motherf**kers" during his DWI arrest back in November ... and DARED cops to lock him up after they confiscated his gold chain.
It's all on the arrest video obtained by TMZ Sports ... which begins when Francis is pulled over by Houston PD on Nov. 19 for speeding. Cops quickly suspected he was drunk.
Officers searched the car and found a bottle of Crown Royal and a big bag of weed (almost 22 grams).
40-year-old Francis was placed into a squad car while they searched the rest of his vehicle -- and that's when he noticed officers checking out his massive gold chain.