SYDNEY — Natalie Williams has waited a long time for her shot at an Olympic gold medal. She's not about to let something like decreased playing time get her down in her quest for the gold.
The Utah Starzz power forward, who has collected All-WNBA honors the past two seasons and earned USA Basketball accolades, is spending pine time during prime time and watching much of the women's basketball tournament at the Sydney Games from the U.S. bench.
"All you've got to do is focus on the end of this," said Williams, mindful that she's part of a talent-laden American squad. "I'm here to do whatever I can for my team. If you get 15 minutes one night or you get five — as long as we get the gold medal, that's all that matters."
The 6-foot-2, 29-year-old had her sights set on making the 1996 Atlanta Games as a member of the U.S. women's volleyball team. But she was a casualty of the team's final cut, and two weeks later, she changed her sporting focus to basketball.
In Sydney, she's averaging just 12 1/2 minutes a game. Only Kara Wolters has logged fewer. Williams is all but ignored when the Americans' perimeter game is on, and she's jostling with the likes of Yolanda Griffith, Lisa Leslie and Delisha Milton for playing time.
Stats have suffered as well for a WNBA All-Star who is more used to double-doubles, rather than her current scoring and rebounding averages of 6.0 points and 4.4 rebounds.
All this for a player who played a key role on the U.S. national team that won the 1999 U.S. Olympic Cup, the USA Basketball International Invitational Tournament and the 1998 World Championships.
Just last year, she was named USA Basketball's Female Athlete of the Year.
So, what gives with the skewed playing time?
"It has been more evenly distributed previously to this," said Williams, although she's mindful that foul totals, opponent's strength and a player's momentum on the court help a coach determine who ought to be in the game at certain times.
"I'm not going to let anything ruin my experience, unless we lose," Williams said. "That's the only thing that will ruin my Olympic experience.
"I'm in a spot where millions of people would like to be. If I go home with the silver, then I'll be disappointed."
E-MAIL: taylor@desnews.com