By Michelle Kaufman | Miami Herald

BEIJING - It wasn't so much the way the U.S. men's basketball team played in its 118-107 gold-medal win over Spain that proved how deeply these NBA superstars cared about the Olympics, although certainly their intensity against the talented Spaniards spoke volumes.

But even more telling was the way this collection of U.S. multi-millionaires behaved away from the court the past two weeks and during Sunday's medal ceremony – with a level of grace, class, and downright sentimentality that had been lacking in so-called Dream Teams of the past. Despite a combined annual income of roughly $500 million, these 12 players did not act like they were too cool to be here. Quite the contrary.

U.S. players made it a point to visit the village often and mingle with rowers and gymnasts. They woke up early to see Michael Phelps swim, and sheepishly asked him to pose with them for photos. They not only showed up to watch the U.S. women's basketball team every time they played, but they gave retiring four-time gold medalist Lisa Leslie a standing ovation as she exited her final game Friday night.

Everywhere they went, they posed for photos and signed autographs for the masses of volunteers. "Being among the hard-working Chinese people, seeing the volunteers show up at the arena every day with big smiles on their faces, that just made us want to go out and play even harder," said Dwight Howard.

Four years ago - partly because of fear of terrorism in Athens - the U.S. team was housed on the Queen Mary II luxury cruise ship, anchored in the port of Piraeus, far away from the rest of the Olympics. The team never got into the spirit of the event, and walked way embarrassed with a bronze medal behind Argentina and Italy.

This time, they immersed themselves, and they looked as giddy as a high school championship team after surviving a thrilling game against the Spaniards, who closed to within four points with two minutes to go.

The U.S. players linked arms and bobbed up and down at midcourt, tugging at their USA jerseys and chanting some sort of victory roar as Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" blared over the speakers.

The Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade was particularly moved by the occasion. He had bailed out the U.S. time and again and led all scorers Sunday with 27 points off the bench. He delivered the final dagger, a 3-pointer to open the lead to 111-104 with two minutes remaining. Wade was a member of that 2004 team, and left Athens with a horrible pit in his stomach. That is why Sunday was so special for him. He filmed the post-game festivities with his mini-cam. When the gold medal was placed around his neck, he broke into a huge grin, turned around and showed his hardware to the crowd.

"It felt great," said Wade, who scored 13 of his points in the first quarter. "It was the moment I've been dreaming about for four years now. I already had bronze around my neck, and I wanted gold. To finally get it, it feels great. We hadn't won in eight years and had been doubted. We showed it's not about the names on the backs of our shirts, but the three letters on the front."

U-S-A. On this night, anyway, those three letters meant more than N-B-A.

"It's more important and more special than any championship any of us will ever win," said Kobe Bryant, who scored 20 points Sunday, including a clutch four-point play with 3:10 left in the game.

"It's the biggest thing for me, ever," said LeBron James. "Winning an NBA championship can't compare to winning a gold medal for your country."

Just before the start of the national anthem, Jason Kidd reminded his teammates to put their hands over their hearts. And they did. Every single one of them. A few players even belted out the words to the Star Spangled Banner. Afterward, rather than choosing the customary one or two players to attend the press conference, the team decided to show up en masse. All 12 of them sat in folding chairs, facing the press, Wade filming every minute of it.

"What you saw out there was a team," said Bryant. "Everyone wants to talk about NBA players being selfish, arrogant, and individuals. What you saw was a team facing adversity, bonding together and coming out with a big win."

Defending world champion Spain had lost by 37 when the teams played earlier in the tournament, but this was a completely different game. Four Spanish players make a living in the NBA, so they're not afraid of Kobe and Co. In fact, Spain's Pau Gasol is Bryant's teammate with the L.A. Lakers. And point guard Ricky Rubio is a 17-year-old phenom who is a dead ringer for the High School Musical character Troy Bolton, but plays more like a young "Pistol Pete" Maravich.

The Spaniards gave the Americans their first true test this Olympics. The U.S. had won its seven games by an average of 30.3 points, but with eight minutes to go, they led Spain by just two points. The crowd, which included soccer icon David Beckham, was on its feet. That's when Wade hit his clutch three. He stood perfectly still and watched it fall through the hoop, and then bumped chests with Chris Paul and Chris Bosh.

He knew right then the gold would be theirs.

"I was just trying to do what I've been doing all tournament," Wade said. "Taking every opportunity I'm given and doing what they want me to do on both ends of floor. Tonight I was in the passing lanes, shooting 3s, trying to step up for my team. That's what they put me on this roster for. I've been doubted so much, once again I was before this, people saying shouldn't be on team. I think I proved myself."

And, order in the basketball universe has been restored after the U.S. settled for third place at the 2004 Olympics and 2006 World Championships.

"I've seen a big improvement on their part," Gasol said of the Americans. "They took this tournament very seriously. These guys were hungry and wanted to get back to the top. They showed they should be No. 1, but they had to work for it."

Most appreciative of all seemed to be Wade, James, and Carmelo Anthony, the holdovers from the Athens debacle.

"I look back at '04, and this is a blessing to us," said Anthony. "We were at America's lowest point in 2004 and to be sitting here tonight on top of the world, we did a hell of a job putting American basketball where it's supposed to be, which is at the top of the world."