Knicks first-round draft pick Kevin Knox takes his first shot at some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby.

Q: Do you burn to be great?

A: Yes. That’s why I love this game, that’s why I play this game, that’s the goal. I want to be great. I want to have my name up in the rafters one day. You want to be a Hall of Famer. I know I’m real young, I got a long way to go, but I’m really willing to get to work, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to be a Hall of Famer. It’d be crazy to be an all-time great in New York City. That’s a dream come true.

Q: From your Twitter feed: “If you’re afraid of failure then you don’t deserve success.”

A: Everyone who’s great — play any sport, tennis, basketball, football, volleyball, swimming, don’t matter, everyone’s failed. Everyone’s gonna fail. It’s how you bounce back. Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, they all failed in their life. They lost games, but they never gave up. They want to be great, so they’re gonna keep going at that same objective until they can complete it.

Q: Why do you like big games so much?

A: I just love the crowd, the screaming, the yelling. … I love the booing and stuff like that. That’s kind of what I live for, that’s what I like.

Q: You like being booed on the road?

A: Yeah, that just gives me motivation. I love hitting a shot, and the crowd goes silent.

Q: How big of an impact can you make as a rookie?

A: I think I can come in immediately and be able to show my versatility.

Q: What would be your goal?

A: Rookie of the Year. That’s gonna be on my wall in my room. That’s what I want, that’s what I’m gonna work for. I don’t got it like painted on my wall, it’s just a piece of paper with Rookie of the Year on it, every time I wake up, look at it, just know what I’m going to work for.

Q: Do you like trash talk?

A: I mean, yeah, if someone trash talks, you’re not just gonna sit there and let ’em trash talk you, you’re gonna go right back at ’em.

Q: From your Twitter feed: “If you gotta rock alone, then rock alone.”

A: There’s a lot of people doubting you, a lot of people that don’t like you, so you gotta have a small circle, and if you gotta rock alone, you gotta be alone. You just know you got yourself.

Q: You seem like you don’t fear anything.

A: (Smile) I got fear. I hate sharks and snakes and spiders and stuff like that. But when it comes to competing and going at anybody, I have no fear, nobody in the world.

Q: “Never listen to your critics, prove them all wrong.”

A: There’s a lot of people that hate on me, but I’m really willing to prove ’em wrong. There’s a lot of people in my high school that said I wasn’t gonna be here where I am today, but look where I’m at now. So that’s just kind of my motto. That’s kind of how I like it, so it’s a great feeling.

Q: If you could pick the brain of any player in history, who would it be?

A: Probably Kobe Bryant. Just that mentality. He can teach me how to work, give me the Xs and Os of the game, details, watch film with him. He’s one of the greatest minds in NBA history, so it’d be good to sit down with him and talk to him and learn from one of the best players.

Q: Do you have the Mamba mentality?

A: Oh, yes sir. One thing about him is confidence, and that’s something I have.

Q: Why is Kevin Durant your favorite player?

A: He just can do it all. He can shoot it, score it, dribble it, pass it, rebound, defend, does it all.

Q: Can you be a Kevin Durant?

A: Oh, yes sir.

Q: How did you get to know him?

A: His brother is real close to me, me and him talk a lot. He’s kind of helped me throughout this whole process. His mom Wanda is a great person. Kevin Durant, he’s watched my film, he loves the way I play the game, and I’m looking forward to playing him one day.

Q: Your career will be linked with Michael Porter Jr. and Mikal Bridges.

A: That’s great. All friends off the court, competitors on the court. So every time we go against each other we’re gonna go at each other, and it’s gonna be a fun matchup. Off the court we know it’s all fun.

Q: What is the most unfair criticism about you?

A: Just my toughness. People say that I gotta work on that, but playing at Kentucky, you gotta have toughness — going on the road all the time playing in front of packed crowds and not be able to compete.

Q: Your defense and motor have been questioned.

A: Defensively, that’s something I’m working on this whole summer, going against some NBA guys all summer. I’m doing better, I’m getting better. My length, my size, I think I’ll be fine.

Q: And your motor?

A: If you want to be great, you have [to have] a good motor. I’m gonna come in here every day and work out, practice, stay in shape so my motor can stay up in Madison Square Garden and everywhere else I play.

Q: Tell me about your Uncle Ray.

A: He passed away on duty in Afghanistan on duty in the military a few years ago. It was a tough time for my family. I do everything for him. I know he’s looking down on me. I know he’s proud of me. I know he’s watching me during the draft. I know he’s probably crying. I can’t wait to see him one day.

Q: How did it happen?

A: Just active duty, somebody just started shooting, and he just got shot in the head. I know he’s gonna look over me throughout the rest of my life. I do everything for him. It’s good to know I got somebody watching over me.

Q: How close were you to him?

A: Real close. We always spent time together when they lived in Tampa [Fla.]. He was a real strong dude. When I was real little, he used to just wrestle me all the time. We bonded really well.

Q: Your grandfather, John Thomas, beat cancer.

A: All the work he had to go through to get cancer-free, he inspires me all the time.

Q: What drives you?

A: My family is the one thing that’s been on my mind this whole time. Just to know that they really worked so hard to get where I am. They spent so much money on me, now I get to repay them back with the success, the love, that caring I can give them.

Q: Do you have any tattoos?

A: Nah, no tattoos?

Q: How come?

A: My parents don’t have tattoos — they just don’t like you marking up your body. They just said when you get older it don’t look good. They told me I can get a tattoo if I want, but I don’t plan on getting any tattoos.

Q: Who are athletes in other sports you like watching?

A: Michael Phelps, Cam Newton, Derek Jeter.

Q: Why Jeter?

A: He’s just a great guy, a great athlete to look up to, gives a lot back to the community. He lives in Tampa actually. His house is huge. It’s good to see him.

Q: Who are quarterbacks you liked watching before you gave up playing quarterback?

A: Cam Newton, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Lamar Jackson.

Q: What impact did the Ronald McDonald House have on you?

A: That had a huge impact, just to go there and see the kids and spend time with them and be able to interact with them, it was good to get over there and be able to see all the kids that really looked up to us and that we inspire.

Q: Describe your 55-point game at Tampa Catholic High School.

A: Playoff game, just had it going. I was in a zone — it was a crazy zone. It was crazy.

Q: What was your best college moment?

A: Winning the SEC Championship. I never really won a big championship like that in my life.

Q: Why did you choose Kentucky over Duke?

A: I wanted a coach that was gonna yell and scream in my face all the time, and that’s what Cal [John Calipari] does. Kenny Payne is one of the best assistant coaches ever.

Q: How do you know Eagles receiver Nelson Agholor?

A: He’s a Tampa kid. He went to Berkeley Prep , I went to Tampa Catholic, like 15 minutes from each other.

Q: He won a Super Bowl ring last season.

A: He did, and he brought it back to Tampa, that was real good from the hometown, so hopefully I can win an NBA title.

Q: Were you a Buccaneers fan?

A: Nah, I hated the Bucs.

Q: Why?

A: You don’t like losing teams.

Q: Well how will you handle losing in New York?

A: Who said we were gonna lose? I don’t think we’re gonna lose like that. Everyone loses games, but the Bucs just never win.

Q: Who is your biggest influence?

A: My dad. He’s been to the NFL [a receiver for the Cardinals in 1994], so he knows how to get there. He’s been to the highest level.

Q: Are you more like your mom, Michelle, or your dad?

A: My mom. I’m a Mama’s boy. I always go to her for everything. Me and her look alike, act alike, same chill, so that’s kind of just how we are.

Q: Do you know how to cook?

A: My mom taught me how to cook growing up — breakfast, lunch and stuff like that, little dinners.

Q: Your cousin, Jernell Hughes, will be living with you.

A: He played up in Iowa, played overseas for two years. My mom’s sister’s son. We got a real close relationship, he takes good care of me. He’s basically just always there for me. We spend so much together, play [“NBA] 2K” and stuff like that, just somebody I can bond with.

Q: So he’s like an older brother?

A: Basically he is my older brother [25].

Q: You had a 3.6 GPA?

A: My first semester in college, yeah.

Q: How about second semester?

A: I think it was 3.2.

Q: What the hell happened?

A: March Madness and all that stuff, it was a little difficult keeping up with the work. I tried my best though (smile).

Q: How much did your father push you as a child?

A: He pushed me all the time. He yelled at me, screamed at my face all the time. That’s just how you get to learn. Everyone learns different.

Q: Did it ever bother you?

A: Oh yeah, I cried all the time when I was a little kid. When I was 6, 7, 8, 9 years old, I used to cry all the time. He used to yell at me, but as you get older you get used to it.

Q: Your brothers were playing Friday on the Greenburgh court.

A: Kobe turns 16 in July. Karter just turned 13. Kobe actually just got his first offer from the University of North Florida, has many more to come. He’s gonna be a great player, he loves the point guard position, he loves to shoot 3s and he loves to pass the ball, so that’s the perfect point guard. Karter’s a football player, he’s a quarterback. He’s great at both sports, but he loves that football.

Q: Three dinner guests?

A: Kevin Durant, Barack Obama and LeBron James.

Q: Why Obama?

A: One of the greatest presidents of all time, first black president. He has a great mind, great knowledge about the world, about life, personality. I think I can learn so much from him. He’s just a cool guy to talk to.

Q: Favorite movie?

A: “The Color Purple.”

Q: Favorite actor?

A: Will Smith.

Q: Favorite actress?

A: Scarlett Johansson.

Q: Favorite entertainer?

A: Kevin Hart.

Q: Favorite meal?

A: Chicken alfredo.

Q: Why is New York City the perfect city for Kevin Knox?

A: I love the big stage. That’s why I went to Kentucky. … I love New York, it’s a great city, great atmosphere to be in, big stage, mecca of basketball. … Why [would anyone] not want to play in Madison Square Garden?

Q: Describe coach David Fizdale.

A: He gave me so much life tips — how to manage your money, how to manage people around your circle and stuff like that. There’s just so much that he can teach you, and that’s something I love about him, you don’t have to go in his office and talk about basketball, you can go talk about anything you want.

Q: This franchise hasn’t won a championship since 1973.

A: That’s a long time, that’s a long time. Hopefully it changes soon. We’re gonna work really hard. Fizdale’s a great coach. We’re gonna get us a championship here. We’re just adding more and more pieces, and I’m really looking forward to getting to work.

Q: Do you have a message to Knicks fans?

A: We got a lot of young guys. We’re not gonna win a championship right away, but we’re gonna definitely try our hardest to win a championship this year. We’re gonna play with attitude, we’re gonna make sure that Madison Square Garden is jumping all the time.

Q: Can you visualize winning a championship in New York City?

A: Oh yeah, 100 percent. You know how crazy it’s be if we won a championship here in New York at Madison Square Garden? It’d be probably one of the biggest headlines in years.