US Olympic coach Mike Krzyzewski will watch the National Basketball Association playoffs seeking clues for tough roster choices and hoping top stars stay healthy for August's hunt for Beijing gold.
"If all our players are in the playoffs, that's better. They will be in the best shape," Krzyzewski said on Tuesday. "We evaluate everything. We want to see what a guy does in his environment. That's the highest level."
Four years after settling for a humbling bronze medal at Athens and two years after a semifinal loss to Greece at the World Championships in Japan, the US squad of NBA stars tries to reclaim global supremacy.
"We have had an arrogance to say it's our game. It's the world's game. It originated here," Krzyzewski said.
"We've tried to educate people. It's actually the fastest growing game in the world. Let's get on that page instead of saying, 'We're American. We should win'."
Jerry Colangelo, the former Phoenix Suns executive who serves as the US team's top executive, revamped the selection process after watching top stars pull out before Athens, critically wounding the American effort.
"Watching the Olympic team and its performance in Athens left a lot to be desired," Colangelo said. "It wasn't pretty. That's as simple as I can be. It was just bad. It was pretty ugly. Change needed to take place."
Krzyzewski has watched the world close the talent gap since the 1992 US Olympic "Dream Team" shone at Barcelona, with NBA players leading Argentina to 2004 Olympic gold and Spain to the 2006 world title.
"I don't think we should be shocked at how good our opponents are," he said. "Defeat can hasten the learning process. You can't be shocked when you lose to these teams."
A pool of players has been used the past two years. Between 15 and 18 players will gather at a camp in Las Vegas in late June after the NBA Finals and a 12-man Olympic roster plus three alternates will be announced June 30.
"Coach K" and Colangelo will have some tough choices to make among star players who want a chance to bring home gold for their nation.
"We're like two guys at a dance. We fall in love with everybody," Krzyzewski said. "All these guys want to play for the United States. They want to represent their country. If that's a problem, it's a good problem to have."
The biggest problem could be in filling three point-guard spots, with one almost certain to go to Dallas star Jason Kidd.
"That's the biggest decision we have to make," Krzyzewski said. "Jason is older. We worry about injuries. We have to have a good point guard in there all the time. It's how you fit the whole team, the versatility within a system."
The US squad will train for a week in Las Vegas, play an exhibition game, then fly to Asia for pre-Olympic exhibitions and training before arriving in Beijing on August 6, four days before its Olympics opener.
"We have a unique opportunity, not only to go for the gold medal and hopefully win it but also show how the game should be played - camaraderie, enthusiasm, attention to detail, those things that make basketball what it is."
Krzyzewski was pleaseed at last year's undefeated run through the Americas Olympic qualifier in Las Vegas.
"Hopefully we will show a higher level," he said. "The guys who played for us last year had pretty good seasons. We would hope not only to produce gold medals but produce higher quality of play at all levels."
When it comes to political issues, Krzyzewski will stress responsibility to his players and the fact they represent their nation and team.
"They have a right to say anything they want," he said. "None of these athletes has a responsibility to be political. They have a responsibility to represent their country in the best possible manner. That's what we'll focus on."
(Agencies April 17, 2008)