Make no mistake, NBA's finest have dreams of London 2012

WALKING into an NBA locker room is an eye-opening experience.

2012 BOUND: Carmelo Anthony (r) is focused on the NBA at present but London 2012 does loom large on the horizon for the USA's finest (Getty Images)

The first thing that hits you is that you are actually there. In today's restrictive world of sport, up close access to the stars is more controlled than ever.

Normally, you see them on their terms, when they are ready and only then for a matter of minutes. But yet here I was - invited onto their turf and allowed to linger.

It took some getting used to. Players kitted out with iPods and phones, and in varying states of undress, went about their preparation while chatting to journalists.

Today there would be no huddling impatiently in corridors, no standing in the rain and not a stressful no-show in sight.

My mind wandered to the likelihood of gaining this access to Wayne Rooney or John Terry prior to a big game. Hmmm.

The surprises continued upon entering the visitors' locker room, where crates of flip flops, headbands, towels, water bottles and other essentials monopolised the centre of the room.

It is easy to forget how much planning goes into kitting out an NBA team and the vast distances involved when a team heads out on the road.

Equipment is hauled around the country from city to city because often the players are not just out of town for one night - sometimes, it can be a lot longer.

To give some context, the Denver Nuggets recently embarked on a five-game road trip. It took them from Denver to New York to Boston, then Toronto.

That sounds severe enough but the Nuggets then trudged south to Orlando and across to Dallas before returning to Denver and climbing back into their own beds more than a week after leaving.

With 41 road games each season, excluding the playoffs, it is a boost for the air miles but this lifestyle takes its toll.

And, of course, it is the media as well as the players and coaching staff who must deal with this exhausting schedule.

But, for all the jostling of the NBA regular season and the imminent drama of the playoffs, there is another topic doing the rounds in the locker rooms, even if it is barely on the horizon at present - the 2012 Olympics in London.

The Americans have already announced a 27-man squad for this summer's World Championships with a view to the Olympics two years later.