BEIJING – Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni has enjoyed every bit of his association with the Olympic men’s basketball team. But he admits the coolest part will come tonight when he walks into Beijing National Stadium behind the U.S. flag during the opening ceremonies.

“Growing up, that’s the thing you watched every Olympics and it always gave you chills no matter where the Games were held,” D’Antoni said earlier today. “To think that I’ll be taking that march is more than humbling. It’s off-the-charts, off-the-hook, however you want to describe it.”

D’Antoni said he remembers feeling “sad” four years ago, watching Larry Brown’s team get humiliated on the world stage, “but I also could tell we had some work to do to keep up. And I think we’ve done that.”