Tucked in among the 19,812 highly exuberant fans at the Garden Sunday were some very interested observers. They wore neither Duke blue nor St. John’s red, but bled Knicks orange and blue. And they no doubt were watching Jahlil Okafor, universally projected as the No. 1 pick in the June draft.

Carmelo Anthony was among those observers who included Knicks president Phil Jackson and general manager Steve Mills. Anthony came away impressed.

“I like him, I like him,” Anthony said. “He’s got a great feel for the game and a great touch. He’s a big body for sure down there, he’s a load.”

The Knicks All-Star said he only was “here as a spectator” and gave an assessment from a player’s perspective of the Duke stud whom Knicks fans pray awaits them in the draft. Okafor is just a freshman and while everyone expects him to be a one-and-done guy, it would be frowned upon if NBA players started spouting things like, “Yeah, I can’t wait to be his teammate.”

Okafor, for his part, was thrilled to hear Anthony was impressed. Anthony was one of the guys he grew up watching — and how old do you feel right now, Carmelo?

“It means a lot,” the 6-foot-11 Okafor said of Anthony’s praise. “Especially for me being a basketball fan and me looking up to a guy like Carmelo Anthony since I’ve been playing the game, it means a lot.”

Okafor, who fashioned a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double Sunday, said he didn’t know he was under the watchful eye of Jackson and Anthony until after the Blue Devils had completed a 77-68 victory to give Coach Mike Krzyzewski his 1,000th career win.

“I was not aware,” Okafor said. “I feel like they were here to witness history to watch Coach K get his 1,000th win.”

And to watch the probable No. 1 pick.

“It’s great,” Okafor said. “I’m a big fan of Carmelo Anthony. So if you guys are asking him about me, for him to know who I am, it’s a great feeling. I’m still 19 years old and Carmelo Anthony, one of the best players to play basketball, I’m a big fan of him.”