(Sports Network) - The United States' 100th medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics was won by the men's basketball team. It was a bronze medal, the first time the Americans had failed to win gold since the original Dream Team breezed through Barcelona in 1992. Carmelo Anthony was a member of that team in Athens, the one that slept comfortably on the Queen Mary 2 docked in the port city of Piraeus. So were Dwyane Wade and Carlos Boozer.

So was LeBron James, who said just hours before Friday's opening ceremony for the Beijing Olympics that the 2004 team didn't understand what it meant to put on a USA uniform.

They know that now, James said.

"I think our attitude is much better," he said. "We have more experienced guys and we have guys who understand and know what it takes to be an Olympian and to be part of Team USA."

It was a sentiment echoed by the other members of that 2004 team who are back for another chance to win Olympic gold.

Among the 12 players on the team in Beijing, only James, Anthony, Wade and Boozer can remember what it was like to lose against Argentina in the Athens semifinals four years ago.

The Americans went on to beat Lithuania in the bronze medal game. Argentina took gold, Italy silver.

"I never really played international basketball before '04. That was my first experience," said Anthony. "I thought it was just going out there and just playing basketball and things would happen. But the game is totally different from the way we play it."

And it's been Mike Krzyzewski's job to mold a group of superstars who are used to being the focus of their NBA teams into a unit that can play together in the Olympic tournament.

Boozer is the only member of the team who played under Krzyzewski at Duke. Accustomed to being a leader on the Utah Jazz, he now finds himself seeing limited time on the court. It has given him a new respect for his Jazz teammates who see more of the bench than the basket.

"You get a different sense of respect for those guys," Boozer said. "But at the same time, I get a chance to be a cheerleader and cheer my teammates on and appreciate what we are no matter what.

"We have 12 superstars on this team. It's hard to get everyone in there in that short a period of time."

Led by James and Kobe Bryant -- Jason Kidd is the elder statesman and a 2000 gold medal-winner in Sydney -- this team is less a collection of super- talent (though it's that too) than a puzzle pieced together to win.

And they do believe they can win.

"If you don't feel you're going to win, you've lost already," said Wade. "Guys feel we can win. You go ask Spain, ask Argentina, they feel they're going to win. That's half the battle. It's not about the U.S. being cocky or overconfident. It's about us being where we should be, and that's already winning."

Asked by a Japanese reporter if the Americans had a purpose in Beijing, Anthony at first looked confused. "Do we have a purpose?" he wanted the question clarified.

"Yes," the reporter said.

"To win the gold medal. That's our only purpose," said Anthony. "That's our only goal."

The Americans kick off the Olympic tournament with a game against Yao Ming and the host Chinese on Sunday. It will take a lot to make it through a tough group that also includes Greece and Spain.

"Watch us on Sunday," said James. "We'll show you what it takes."





Copyright 2008 The Sports Network
All rights reserved