Ex-Knick: Knocks are good for Knox

Former NBA star Jimmy Jackson, in town to call Friday’s Big3 Finals at Barclays Center for Fox at 8 p.m., spoke in glowing terms of the Knicks’ 2018 lottery pick, 6-foot-9 forward Kevin Knox.

“He’s a bigger version of Devin Booker,” Jackson said. “He’s got all the same skills, but he’s taller.”

Booker, another Kentucky lottery pick, wound up far exceeding his draft slot. The Suns took Booker, a 6-6 shooting guard, with the 13th pick of the 2015 draft. Booker averaged 24.5 points last season.

Knox was chosen ninth in this year’s draft amid chants for Michael Porter and boos after his name was called, but he quickly earned favor among Knicks fans with his summer league performance in Las Vegas, when he averaged 21.3 points.

Jackson said Knox will do well because of the chip on his shoulder.

“It’s not the physical,” Jackson said. “It’s the mental part. He’s got something to prove after getting booed on draft night. A player with that talent and motivation to prove something?

“Of course he can start as a rookie, but it’s how effective he can be over all those games. It’s not like college, and there’ll be a lot more workload early when Kristaps [Porzingis] is not available. But throw him to the fire and see what happens.”

Jackson, who spent one season with the Heat, wasn’t there when Knicks coach David Fizdale was a Miami assistant, but knows him well from living in Los Angeles.

“He’s my guy,” Jackson said. “I’m happy for him, happy for the Knicks. He’s going to be a good mentor and coach to a lot of the young players.”

Jackson said he believes there are six established teams in the East (Boston, Philadelphia, Toronto, Milwaukee, Indiana and Washington) and the 7 and 8 seeds in the playoffs are wide open. The Knicks “should be right there,” he said, if Porzingis comes back healthy and sooner rather than later.