Posted: 10:03 AM- BEIJING - He basically has been limited to a role as head towel waver, pre-game rebounder and sideline cheerleader for the "Redeem Team" at the Beijing Olympics.
    Yet the Jazz's Carlos Boozer has been having the time of his life.
    "Why not?" he said. "I'm in the Olympics, I'm playing with 11 of the greatest basketball players on the planet, en route to win a gold medal soon, having fun with each other. And we're in Beijing, China. . . .Who knows if we'll ever come back? So why not soak it up and enjoy it a little bit? That's what I'm doing."
    The Americans play Argentina in the semifinals of the men's basketball tournament Friday, aiming to take the penultimate step toward winning the gold medal that appears all but inevitable now.
    They have beaten their six opponents by an average of 32 points so far, requiring so little of Boozer that he has scored just 10 baskets in a total of just 46 minutes.
    But if the all-star power forward minds, he's hardly showing it.
    While the Jazz's Deron Williams has been a pivotal player in the guard rotation for the Americans, Boozer clearly has embraced his role as the mop-up guy under former college coach Mike Krzyzewski.
    That's a vast departure from his prominent role with the Jazz, and both relieves him of any real pressure and reflects the team's willingness to work together after being labeled selfish while managing only a bronze medal at the 2004 Athens Games.
    "He's doing great," Williams said. "His energy has been great. I know that can be tough - you know, a tough situation, being the last guy off the bench, but he has handled it great, and it shows a lot about his character."
    Off the court, Boozer practically has become the team's goodwill ambassador, taking his natural friendliness to a whole new level. He's frequently the first one out of the locker room, eager to linger in the interview area and joke with reporters, volunteers and fans about everything from his disappointing role in Athens to his trip to see the Great Wall with his wife and father.
    "Unbelievable," he said. "Oh, my God, it was amazing. ... You know, sometimes you go to a place that's historic and you can feel what happened here. That's what it felt like. You get there - there were 10,000 people that died building it - you can feel like, 'Man, a people, whether you're Chinese or American, did something great.' It was awesome to be a part of that."
    A couple more victories, and he will be able to say the same thing about the Beijing Olympics.