NEW ORLEANS — Embattled Knicks president Phil Jackson should draw some pride watching Friday’s Rising Stars Challenge during All-Star Weekend. Center Willy Hernangomez and power forward Kristaps Porzingis — the Knicks’ frontcourt of the future — will suit up for the World Team.

Scott Roth, a Timberwolves scout, feels proud, too.

“When I walked in the gym and saw both those two, it wasn’t a question of them being able to play in the NBA, it was a matter of when,’’ Roth told The Post Thursday.

Roth is referring to the practice facility in Sevilla, Spain, two years ago when he was a head coach in the Spanish League. He possessed the league’s youngest squad, starting then-19-year-olds Hernangomez and Porzingis.

“For me, it’s validation,’’ Roth said. “I’m happy from a coach’s standpoint I could lay some groundwork for the demand get them ahead of the curve so when they got here they weren’t shocked by terminology.’’

The tale of Porzingis, the No. 4 pick in the 2015 draft, has been the lone feel-good story in the Knicks’ world for 19 months, after finishing runner-up for Rookie of the Year last season.

Hernangomez, taken in the same draft, is getting there. The second-round stash pick (No. 35 in a trade with the 76ers) has been a 7-foot Spanish bull of a revelation, challenging Joakim Noah for a spot in the starting lineup.

Roth said Hernangomez has an even better basketball sense than Porzingis.

“People are more surprised by Willy, but I’ve always said Willy was an overall better basketball player at the age Kristaps was as far as feel for the game and how he moves and passes,’’ Roth said of the 22-year-old. “He’s validated it with his passing, his pick-and-roll play and rebounding. I’m really excited for both of them. Knicks fans should be elated to have two really young bigs for probably a long time.’’

Of course, at 7-foot-3, the 21-year-old Porzingis does stuff Hernangomez could only dream of. The Latvian has the purer 3-point shot, is a superior shot-blocker and dribbles like a point guard. However, Roth said he still needs to see the floor better.

“Willy is a very good passer, ball mover and has a feel for the game that’s different than Kris, more natural,” Roth said. “Kris hasn’t been a good passer. One of the things he has to work on.’’

Porzingis has admitted Roth was very hard on him — part of the reason he hates his former nickname, “Zinger.’’ Porzingis associates it with Roth’s yelling. Roth said he’s guilty as charged.

“First day I met him I wasn’t ready to say Porzingis so I just started calling him Zinger, then it became all the time,’’ Roth said. “I was very hard on those guys not because I was trying to make a point other than to push them because I saw they were going to be great. They needed to be hammered to ingrain the fact not waste your talent. I was after them quite a bit.”

Roth saw Porzingis in December when he scouted a Knicks game.

“I told him if I knew you didn’t like Zinger, I would’ve come up with another name,’’ Roth said.

Porzingis said recently Roth helped him most with defense.

“European basketball is totally different from the NBA, the practices were different so we picked up the pace, more terminology and drill work,’’ Roth said. “When he was in summer league, he was ahead of the curve with his physicality and defense.’’

Roth isn’t shocked Hernangomez fell out of the first round. One source said Hernangomez’s strategically scared off teams late in the first round. Agent Andy Miller figured his client could sign for a larger salary than the rookie scale for late first-rounders. He was right. In July, Hernangomez signed a three-year deal that started at $1.4 million, and this season has per-36 minute averages that are excellent (15.4 points and 13.7 rebounds) while leading all rookies in field-goal percentage (54.4).

According to Roth, NBA scouts became so in awe of Porzingis, Hernangomez wasn’t judged objectively.

“They focused on Porzingis so much and the other kid wasn’t as athletic, played less minutes and they under read his value,’’ said Roth, who spoke several times with Knicks brass about the duo. “The Knicks were at their early-season practices. They did their homework. Willy’s a perfect piece for a lot of teams because he can play a lot of different ways.’’