OAKLAND, Calif. — Knicks forward Kyle O’Quinn was honored and in awe to be in Latvia and see what Kristaps Porzingis means to the country.

O’Quinn attended Porzingis’ camps for kids last week in Liepaja, Porzingis’ hometown. Porzingis had extended the invitation (he and O’Quinn share the same representation), and the Flushing native couldn’t accept fast enough.

“It really is amazing,’’ O’Quinn told The Post in a phone interview from Latvia this weekend. “Just when he walks on the court, puts his hand up and greets the kids and thanking them. It goes to show what this city, country, appreciates him, honors him and respects him and his family. This is a special thing. This doesn’t happen in the States. There’s just so many players coming from every state and city. In this city, it’s him. That’s it. It was great to be part of it.’’

Since Porzingis played in Spain for four years before joining the NBA, his visits to Latvia have been brief. Porzingis has more than made up for turning down a chance to play for its Olympic team in July’s qualifier with the free functions he’s participated in the past few weeks in his native country.

“This is the first year he’s been able to do so much for the country,’’ O’Quinn said. “The memories he’s created just off this one week is remarkable. It says a lot about him and his family who raised him.”

Porzingis, popular with his teammates, also was joined by Kevin Seraphin and Sasha Vujacic, both of whom are free agents and may not be back with the Knicks.

“Those guys are from Europe, they were two hours away,’’ O’Quinn said. “For him to extend an invitation to me all the way from America, it was kind of a no-brainer to get on a plane and come.”

Because he has been in Latvia, O’Quinn has yet to meet new coach Jeff Hornacek. But he remembers his first encounter with Hornacek, and it made a big impact. O’Quinn had just been drafted by Orlando in the second round (49th overall) in 2012. He was a rookie at the summer league and bumped into Hornacek in an elevator. Hornacek was a Jazz assistant on the verge of joining the Suns as head coach.

“He wished me luck on making the team,’’ O’Quinn said. “I’m a late second-round pick and I didn’t have [a contract]. It was just a very good experience to have a conversation with a former player of his caliber. I got a sense of what type of guy he is — just a good guy. I’ve talked to players he’s coached before, the Morris twins. He’s a straight-up dude, offensive-minded. The players only had positive things to say. I only imagine in New York he would follow that up.’’

Signed to a four-year, $16 million deal as a free agent last summer, O’Quinn had a perplexing first season in his hometown. After a solid start, the burly, 6-foot-10, 250-pound power forward lost his spot in the rotation in midseason and was in and out of the lineup, averaging 11.8 minutes in 65 games. Sources indicated defensive lapses were more the cause than his offense, though he was once benched for his quick trigger.

“I have no idea,’’ O’Quinn said on what caused his demotion. “If I knew, I wouldn’t have did it.’’

“I look back on it as an opportunity to grow as a pro, another year in the NBA. I look at some parts of the season as very solid and want to build off of. Other parts of the season I look at as maybe I can’t do that because it leads to minutes going down or finding myself outside the rotation. At times, I was in the right spot and a comfortable position, part of the team moving forward, getting 20 minutes a game. Everything was going well.’’

Asked which offense he’d want, O’Quinn added, “The biggest thing is trying to fit in with whatever offense we run — if it’s faster, slower, triangle or not, just try to do my job.”

Porzingis stepped up during the past week, showing O’Quinn a good time.

“I let Kristaps be the tour guide. It’s comfortable being in another country with a home tour guide,’’ he said.

O’Quinn said Latvia felt a lot more like the U.S. than he ever imagined. But during his European vacation, he couldn’t keep his mind off the nightclub shooting tragedy in Orlando, where he played three seasons.

“It has a special place in my heart — first city been to outside college,’’ O’Quinn said. “For that to happen anywhere in the world, any country or city, that’s tough. Fifty families have to put on funerals. I know the city of Orlando and how much they support everything, whether it’s Disney, basketball, hockey, soccer. The pride they have for the city. My heart goes out. They’re going to rally around and get back where the city needs to be. It’s not a big city but a well-kept city.”