Coach K believes USA superstars are ready to buy into team concept

With the dozen players on board, Krzyzewski has ratcheted up rhetoric — and the patriotism of playing for one's own country. Whether it be showing Marvin Gaye's famous rendition of the national anthem performed at the 1983 NBA All-Star Game or bringing in U.S. soldiers injured in Iraq as guest speakers, Coach K is creating a moment and a mindset.

"That's all part of this — in mind and spirit — so that when they're making these commitments, they understand that it's for a higher cause," he said.

Williams is a bought-in believer. Listen to him talk about the Olympics, and the word "represent" is an oft-repeated word.

"It's us as a whole representing our country," he said in one such soundbite. "A basketball player doing his duty for the country — we're going over there and representing."

Krzyzewski wants his team to play to its ability and not to succumb to the pressures of being under the media and fan microscope and bearing the burdens of great expectations "Our thing can never be to let us be our opponent — our opponent has to be the other team," Krzyzewski said. "These (players) are creating the environment that helps in that regard because if we're questioning or if we don't get it, we're beating ourselves.

"And if we're good conditioning-wise and strategy-wise, then we should be able to take care of that," he added. "So it's a matter of identifying how you might lose and eliminating those things."

So, while the rest of America sees Team USA with high expectations, Krzyzewski opts for another word and another direction.

"This isn't about expectations — it's about anticipation," he said. "It shouldn't matter to me what you expect — what should matter to me is what I anticipate.

"And what we anticipate is playing for a gold medals," he added, mindful that he and most of the other coaches and players on Team USA have a one-and-done Olympic opportunity. "The anticipation of that should be exciting."

But he still worries about an expectation-obsessed society.

"We're always about trying to throw snakes on somebody — 'you're supposed to do this, you're supposed to do that,"' he said. "OK, man, that's cool. But here's what we want to do, let's talk about what we want to do — and if you think that's what we're supposed to do, then God love you.

"But I'm not going there," he added. "I'm going, 'Here's what we want to do.' That's the kind of mindset we want for our team — it's a healthy, exciting way of doing it. It's what it should be — we're playing in the Olympics."

And instead of squaring off against expectations, the U.S. team faces the likes of Spain, Argentina and Russia.

"Our opponent is not our own team," Krzyzewski said. "Our opponent is the other guy."

---

E-mail: taylor@desnews.com