In this case, diamonds are also a coach's best friend.
As Roy Williams was making a point in conversation last Monday, while seated behind his desk in his basketball office on the North Carolina campus, he raised his right hand. Catching the light from the window, all 33 diamonds encrusted on the ring on his finger sparkled.
Thirty-three symbolizes the number of games his Tar Heels won last season (against four losses), the last being a 75-70 victory over Illinois last April to capture the NCAA tournament championship.
The odds of Williams earning a similar ring this season are unlikely, at best.
"Yes," he said, "I saw the Sports Illustrated preview. We were off the radar. But we hope to prove 'em wrong."
Last season, Sports Illustrated picked the Tar Heels No. 1 in the nation and made them the favorites to win the title. The magazine cover is framed in Williams' outer office. This season's preview issue did not include North Carolina among the 65 teams the magazine's staff expects to get into the tournament.
The Tar Heels lost all five starters -- three to the NBA -- and their top seven scorers since last season. The North Carolina sports information office said a defending NCAA champion had never lost its entire starting lineup.
Sean May, Rashad McCants, Raymond Felton and the sixth man Marvin Williams were among the top 14 chosen in the NBA draft in June. The starters Jackie Manuel and Jawad Williams, and a significant sub, Melvin Scott, completed their eligibility.
Overall, North Carolina lost 91 percent of its scoring and 3-point shooting, and 88 percent of its rebounding.
In their season opener against Gardner-Webb on Nov. 19, the Tar Heels struggled before pulling out an 83-80 victory with 1.8 seconds left.
"They're a good team," Williams said of the Runnin' Bulldogs, perhaps looking for a silver lining. "They just missed making the NCAA tournament by one game, and they have all five starters back. They had 136 combined starts to our zero."
As good as Gardner-Webb might be, Williams did not mistake it for powerhouse Atlantic Coast Conference rivals like North Carolina State, Maryland or Duke, the consensus preseason No. 1.
Starting for the Tar Heels were forward David Noel, a 6-foot-6-inch senior; forward Reyshawn Terry, a 6-8 junior; and three freshmen: Tyler Hansbrough, an intense 6-9 center, and guards Bobby Frasor and Marcus Ginyard.
Point guard Quentin Thomas, a 6-3 sophomore whom Williams called "the key to our team," did not start because of injury but did play. The 6-5 freshman swingman Danny Green came off the bench against Gardner-Webb to score 17 points, second to Hansbrough's 21.
The Tar Heels followed with victories against Cleveland State and California, Santa Barbara.
"We've got a lot of work ahead of us," Williams said. "This team may not have the talent, the experience of last season's, but they have talent, and they have a willingness and eagerness to learn.
"I don't hide the fact from them that it's going to be a challenge, but I tell them that they can be an even better defensive team than last year's."
There were times when last season's team would become lax on defense, relying simply on its ability to score.
"I also told them that we played fast last season, but I want them to play even faster this season," Williams said.
The reason is that his young team is still trying to find its way in a halfcourt offense.
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