BEIJING — Two hours before the start of the closing ceremony, U.S. center Dwight Howard, who was wearing the American flag over his broad shoulders, was asked about the thrill of victory in the Olympic basketball tournament's championship game.

"It's the motivation right here," he said, pointing to the shiny new gold medal hanging from his neck.

Howard, a rising star for the Orlando Magic, now has a new prized possession. And he doesn't plan to let anyone tell him what to do with it.

In fact, he's already outlined his own "gold medal rule" for the near future.

"I'm going to wear it for at least a week," he said.

I asked Howard if he will take off the medal when he passes through the security check at Beijing Capital International Airport. He responded by shaking his head and saying, "I m not taking it off."