After consecutive embarrassing losses by NBA players in international competition, the United States likely will rely on the leadership of a college coach to re-establish its supremacy in the basketball world.

Although a final decision will not be made until later this year, people close to Jerry Colangelo, who will make the final choice, say Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski will be head coach of the 2008 Olympic men's basketball team.

"It's going to be Coach K," said someone close to the committee. "And it's going to be very interesting because it's not going to go down well with NBA coaches because they will be passed over by a college coach. And will NBA players play for him?"

Colangelo, the managing director of the men's senior national team, does not deny that Krzyzewski is a finalist for the job but says he has not yet made a decision.

"Mike Krzyzewski brings a wealth of experience, and he was an assistant on the original Dream Team," Colangelo said. "So he has the qualifications for the job. But that's all I'm going to say."

Others close to the process, however, say Krzyzewski has the inside track over San Antonio's Gregg Popovich, who was an assistant on the 2004 team that lost in Athens. That loss is not considered a negative against Popovich.

"What Gregg Popovich has accomplished and because of his understanding of international basketball, he certainly would be one of the strongest candidates at the position," Colangelo said.