ATHENS (AFP) - Perhaps if National Basketball Association players ask nicely, the guys from Argentina wearing gold medals will come to the United States and give them a few pointers on how to play the game.
Or maybe they could just ask for tips from the US Women's NBA Dream Team, an elite group of the absolute best who withstood their dynasty's toughest test for a third gold medal in a row and their fifth in six Olympics.
Wherever the help comes from, expect the disappointment of a bronze medal finish by a young set of US NBA stars at the Athens Olympics to produce changes that bring together players sooner and help them adjust to international rules.
"In 2008, when we're in our prime, the original Dream Team will probably re-emerge," 21-year-old US forward Amare Stoudemire said.
Just as sure as NBA Marketing has a department in Asia, fans can expect an elite squad of the NBA's absolute best at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, provided millionaire stars such as those who rejected the 2004 call will step forward.
And by 2008, the potential of such 2004 Olympians as 19-year-old NBA Rookie of the Year LeBron James might be realized. This year's losers might truly be the NBA's elite in 2008 - and hungry to avenge their honor.
"I was talking to LeBron and Amare and it's going to be our turn in '08," said 20-year-old forward Carmelo Anthony, who guaranteed a gold medal before the Olympics but did not say when it would come.e're young enough that you can't rule out 2012 either."
When a US college team lost a 1988 Seoul semi-final to the Soviet Union, the 1992 Dream Team followed. When US women lost a 1992 semi-final, a core team was gathered a year early and US women have not lost at a global event in a decade.
"For women, the Olympics is the pinnacle of our sport," US women's captain Dawn Staley said. "The difference with us and the men's team is that we have experienced Olympic players and they don't."
Shaquille O'Neal, Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady, Jason Kidd and Kobe Bryant are among those who snubbed the Olympic call.
The result was the worst showing ever by a US squad - a bronze medal to match the 1988 low point and three overall losses - one more than all prior US teams had amassed in 68 years, including a 24-0 prior mark by NBA talent.
Every insult to the US players who tried and failed should sting their summer vacations as well, since their absence helped set up the failure.
"It bothers me to think this group of guys is going to be looked at a certain way because they didn't win a gold medal," US assistant coach Gregg Popovich said. "A lot of fans still think it's 1992 and we can beat anybody by 40."
A core US team played last year in a qualifying event included McGrady, Kidd, Ray Allen, Mike Bibby, Elton Brand, Vince Carter, Kenyon Martin and Jermaine O'Neal - a planned elite Olympic core before all backed out.
With experience together and with global rules, the squad that routed Olympic champion Argentina 106-73 in the Tournament of the Americas final a year ago might have measured up to the gold standard of earlier teams.
"If you get every one of the top players in the league, that might counteract the extra time that those teams have together," Popovich said.
Depth and size at center, always a US strength, was lacking this year with Duncan the only big man and a constant target of referees' whistles. And Duncan made it clear he has had it with wearing the red, white and blue.
"I'm about 95 percent sure my FIBA career is over," Duncan said.
Where is "Shaq" when his country really needs him? Recovering from eight months of NBA punishment and the disappointment of an NBA Finals defeat that was barely two months ago, with a new NBA season just two months away.
"It is tough for 12 strangers to get together in two weeks and try to become the best team in the world. It is not feasible to do that. It's impossible," US forward Richard Jefferson said.
More international teams might make US tours to play NBA talent under global rules. US and global all-stars might be matched against each other. In the end, having a top US team is too important to the NBA for it not to offer some aid.
"We need to give them everything we can," NBA commissioner David Stern said. "That's what they deserve for being willing to make the commitment."
