Odell Beckham Jr. -- I Never Dated Khloe ... But Pics Nearly Killed My Other Relationship

Odell Beckham Jr. says there was NEVER anything romantic with Khloe Kardashian -- but the flirty pictures of the two nearly destroyed a relationship with ANOTHER woman he was seeing.

The NY Giants superstar talked about the Kardashian encounter with GQ -- scoffing at rumors the two were "dating" ... and explaining that they were just talking during a party at Drake's house.

"We were in the kitchen of the house, where there was only 15 people. It’s just kind of like … ‘dating?’ I just met this person. This is maybe the second conversation we’ve had."

It was the second time the two had been spotted hanging out in a matter of days -- they were spotted at a Vegas club together before that.

Odell says the incident caused some drama with another woman in his life -- 'cause he had some 'splainin' to do after the pics came out.

"Things go like that and then some other girl that I may have been talking to hears about it, and now it’s more drama, more commotion in my life. And I’m sitting here trying to explain my situation to somebody, and it’s not even a situation."

BTW, Khloe also shot down the dating rumors -- saying it was just innocent flirting.