This is what gets Michael Rapaport excited. It’s not news about his latest film or a big role, it’s a phone call from a basketball player.

Former Knicks star Latrell Sprewell had called him days earlier, agreeing to appear on Rapaport’s podcast.

“It was Spree, f—ing” Spree,” Rapaport says, unable to contain the pure joy of talking to the one-time standout from Rapaport’s favorite team.

Rapaport, 46, interviewed Sprewell in July, live in front of an audience in Milwaukee, where Sprewell grew up and still lives, as part of the podcast he’s taken on the road. It was a rare interview given by the reclusive NBA retiree, but landing a rare interview for his show was not the reason Rapaport was thrilled.

It was just a cool thing to do.

Rapaport’s Hollywood career has touched many bases: stand-up comedian, actor (“Cop Land,” “True Romance”), director of documentaries (“Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest”). But recording his podcast, “I Am Rapaport” — and appearing on countless others — takes up much of his time now.

“I love the temptation and the tightrope when we record them, we record it live and don’t edit it,” says Rapaport, whose co-host is Gerald Moody, a friend of 30 years. “The temptation to say everything you want to say, but then not say something that will inevitably end up getting you in trouble. It’s sort of a mock reality of a live performance. I just think it’s a great forum for people to say what they want to say. It’s like the Wild West.”

Rapaport has spent his adult life as a celebrity, yet he’s never lost his ability to be starstruck. He lists his favorite guests as Martin Scorsese, John Turturro and Marv Albert.

That makes sense, given that his two greatest loves may be film and the Knicks.

“I could not f—ing believe I was interviewing Martin Scorsese,” Rapaport says. “Martin Scorsese saying that ‘Raging Bull’ could’ve been his last film. That tripped me out when he said that. He’s sort of said those things in the past, but saying those things to me [blew my mind].

“But he basically said, ‘We gave everything we had to this movie, and it was either going to work or it wasn’t. I was prepared for it to be my last film.’”

Rapaport decided he wanted to start “I Am Rapaport”, which is hosted by play.it, after appearing on his comedian friend Bill Burr’s podcast. He began his own months later in June 2015, and is now up to 238 episodes and counting. He records two or three per week, “depending on the week.”

“It just seemed like a great forum to rip, rant and riff about whatever you want,” Rapaport says. “I am not an expert, but one of the ways to have a successful podcast is you have to be consistent. You can’t do it whenever you want and expect the audience to find you.

‘I love the temptation and the tightrope when we record them.’

“I do treat it like a job. There is money to be made, thus far it is not life-changing money, but it certainly isn’t bad and it’s getting better. The money wasn’t the thing that brought me to it, but the money is good.”

Rapaport is a native New Yorker and a staple of the Knicks’ Celebrity Row. He wears his hometown like a badge of honor with his distinctive accent and free-wheeling, f-bomb-filled dialogue.

“It’s not so much what I have to say, but how I am saying it,” Rapaport says. “When you’re clear in your voice, then people will enjoy it. There’s nothing that I am saying that is more original than anyone else, but it’s how I am saying it. I embrace my point of view.”

Rapaport still does acting work, but the podcast has become his day-to-day priority. He also hosts a fantasy football show on SiriusXM.

“We are trying to bring the fun back into fantasy football,” Rapaport says of “Ya Never Know,” which airs on the satellite radio network every Tuesday night.

”I think fantasy football has become too analytical and too much about numbers — and not enough about the silly and fun part. I love the culture about it and competing in it. I know I am not really competing in it, it’s really some ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ sports, nerd s–t.”

WARNING: Graphic language

Rapaport does not limit himself to his own podcast. He’s a regular guest on comedian Marc Maron’s “WTF” and former ESPN columnist Bill Simmons’ “The Ringer” podcast, among appearances on many others.

“I don’t do people’s podcasts who I don’t like and I don’t respect,” Rapaport says. “I don’t want to waste their time, and there is an element of performance and I want to give 100 percent and kick ass with them.

“I don’t want to go in there and get asked conventional questions. I prefer the people who really know what they’re doing.”