UNC basketball player Deon Thompson has a national championship ring on the way from the Tar Heels' successful run in the NCAA Tournament, and now he is trying to add a gold medal to collection.

Thompson is a member of the U.S. World University Games basketball team that will compete in Belgrade, Serbia, July 2-12. The United States will play its opening game in pool play this Friday against Finland.

He has worked diligently on his body and his game since his junior year of high school. His greatest progression has come since he was a member of the U.S. Unddegreeser-19 team in 2007. That club made it to the gold medal game before losing to Serbia on its home court. The experience there helped to jumpstart Thompson's improvement.

"I'm definitely a lot more confident," Thompson said by phone from O'Hare Airport in Chicago as the U.S. team changed planes en route to Serbia. "I have grown as a leader on and off the court since then. I have gained some respect from other college players for having won a national championship because I know what it means to be on a team with a bunch of talented players, like my college team. I know what it will take to be successful with this team with a whole bunch of highly talented players, to find a way to win and come together."

These days, Thompson is more forceful when he makes an offensive move.

"I know I can score the ball in a variety of ways, going to the basket," Thompson said. "It's something I've worked on since two years ago."

This USA team consists of rising junior and senior collegiate players. Wisconsin's Bo Ryan is the head coach. Thompson said that having experienced, high-profile players alongside him will provide a special opportunity this summer.

"It definitely helps me be a leader on a different level," Thompson said. "The players on this team are leaders on their other teams. And they are all big-time players. So this gives me a chance to really use this to my advantage."

The U.S. team on which Thompson played in 2007 defeated Serbia early in that competition, but it lost to the home team with the gold medal on the line. Thompson said the experience taught him a lesson about finishing, particularly on an opponent's home court.

"It's staying focused, from beginning to end," Thompson said. "It's a grind. The last time we kind of got a little distracted. People were ready to go home. We had been away from home for so long. We had been training and then going overseas. This is a long process, so everybody is going to have to stay focused on what we set out to do and trained for, which is to win a gold medal."

He is playing with a couple of other strong front-line players in Trevor Booker of Clemson and Craig Brackins of Iowa State. He said one goal for this team is to pound the ball down low and use the trio's strength to the United States' advantage.

"We're definitely a talented team," Thompson said. "Coach Ryan wants to get the ball inside, get the ball in my hands, in Trevor Booker's hands and in Craig Brackins' hands. We are going to try to take advantage of our size inside. We have some really good wing players who can drive to the basket."

Thompson, who is from Los Angeles, said that playing alongside Tyler Hansbrough, Wayne Ellington, Ty Lawson and Danny Green taught him some valuable lessons as Carolina regrouped from a difficult loss to Kansas at the 2008 Final Four and return to power its way to a national title this year.

"It has helped me to see how guys come back and stay dedicated to a goal," Thompson said. "They reached that goal, and now they have been rewarded with the NBA draft. Playing with those high-caliber players allowed me to blossom at my own pace."

Thompson said that he can see no reason the Tar Heels will not be greatly successful again next season, too.

"Honestly, I think we'll be able to get back to another Final Four," Thompson said. "We're going to be just as talented, with the guys coming back, our freshmen now being sophomores. They have developed. Our freshmen coming in are really talented. There is not going to be a big drop-off from what we lost. We just have to come together under Coach (Roy) Williams and listen to what he has to teach us and execute what he wants us to do."

For now, though, Thompson is trying to earn a gold medal for his country.

"I want to be consistent, and go out every game and play hard, don't take any plays off," Thompson said. "If I can be consistent on a night-to-night basis, I'll be pretty good."

Eddy Landreth can be reached at chnsports@nando.com