If this basketball thing doesn't work out, Nick Collison could always consider a career in the Foreign Service.

The Sonics' top draft pick has been an ambassador of American basketball since he was 17. He has now been a member of eight teams under the USA Basketball banner, playing against international competition all over the United States, as well as in Portugal, Brazil, Japan and the Dominican Republic.

Next week, Collison goes to Puerto Rico with the USA Basketball men's senior national team, which will become the 2004 U.S. Olympic men's basketball team if it's one of the three teams from the Americas to qualify at Roberto Clemente Stadium in San Juan.

Unlike most of the others on the senior squad, Collison has no guarantee of making the Olympic team, but he's delighted to be what's called a "role player" for this effort, only the third time the United States has had to go through a zone qualifying tournament.

Actually, with ice bags on both knees and sweat pouring off him in mini-Niagaras, he looked way less than delighted after a two-hour practice yesterday at John Jay College in mid-Manhattan. But he insists he's happy to be here, if for no other reason than to get a leg up on every other rookie in the NBA.

"When we go to San Antonio this season, I won't be so in awe of Tim Duncan," he joked.