Blazers head coach Nate McMillan is back home and is settling in again at the Blazers Practice facility after a Golden Summer helping to coach Team USA to the Gold Medal in basketball at the Olympics in Beijing.

"It was a great opportunity over there with the Olympic team and winning the Gold," McMillan said.

Mission accomplished.

"I feel great, I'm glad to be back, I'm glad that its over. It was a long commitment, but definitely well worth it, but Im happy to be back home," McMillan said.

“Seeing him on tape and seeing him live is different,” said McMillan. “I knew that he was athletic and he could run the floor. that he was a guy, who loves to dunk, but seeing him live, Ithink the one thing I took away is that he plays every possession. He plays both ends of the floor. Defensively he is pretty athletic, he works on the defensive end of the floor.”

“Offensively, he’s always looking to make something happen. There are very few guys in this league, who play every possession. It will be a learning curve for him coming into the NBA. He won’t come over here and dominate. I like his potential and he can do a lot of different things for you,” he added

AP photo

Portland Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan

Another great opportunity for McMillan in China was to get an up close look at Spains Rudy Fernandez, who is going to play this season with the Blazers. Team USA beat Spain in the Gold Medal game.

Nate says he was so excited about the thought of Rudy playing in Portland that he had a hard time sleeping,

Needless to say, McMillan cant wait to see his whole team come together,

"That's been going you know, since the end of the season last year," said McMillan. "Not just Rudy, but all of our guys. You know, well have Greg(Oden) coming back and our guys, who played this past season. I'm excited. Im looking forward to the season like everyone else."

McMillan says he talked with All-Star guard Brandon Roy, who is on schedule after knee surgery last month.

Center Greg Oden is coming along as well and McMillan says the big fella is playing five on five every other day, Hes on pace to be ready for training camp and that was the main focus to have him ready, healthy to go in October.

The Blazers Coach likes talking basketball and is like a kid in a candy store when he thinks about next season. However, right now Nate isnt watching his team work out, hes letting them do their thing.

He says the coaches time is during training camp, The main thing is they are here playing and getting together and bonding, says McMillan. As long as they are here is the most important thing.