For some time now, years in fact, Hassan Adams has made basketball decisions based more on the potential for success than statistics. His goals have always been defined more by the letter C (for championships) than N (as in numbers).

Perhaps this is why the newest McDonald's All-American to grace Arizona's roster is better prepared to deal with the pressure of playing a significant role for a team whose goals start and end with winning the 2003 national championship.

	Hassan Adams isn't driven by personal stats, which is one reason he's happy to just be part of Arizona's cast of stars.

It's not as if Adams ignores the spotlight. His talent won't allow that.

He just prefers it find him than vise versa.

"He's a team-oriented guy the whole way," says Arizona coach Lute Olson. "He's a warrior, a tremendous competitor, a winner. We knew he would be ready to play right away. No matter what we're doing, he goes as hard as possible for the good of the team."

Says Arizona senior forward Luke Walton: "Hassan can jump out of the gym, is one of our best athletes and loves to play defense. But most importantly, he is all about the team."

He is a 6-foot-4 wing who is quick, long, agile, all the things that make for a perfect fit in Olson's press-early-and-often system. Adams started just one of Arizona's first six games, but boasted averages of nearly 14 points and just over four rebounds.

In other words, he's fitting like tank tops in Tucson.

"When Coach Olson recruited me, he said if I was willing to work hard and make sacrifices for this team, I would earn my playing time," said Adams. "That's what I try and do every time I'm on the floor.

"I don't know if (college basketball) is tougher than I thought it would be, but it's definitely more challenging. I know everyone thinks it must be tough for a freshman, but I really want to make my presence felt."

His winning ways are traced directly to Los Angeles Westchester High, a factory of hoops talent that Adams led to a state championship last year. He averaged a team-high 18.3 points for a squad with more Division I ability than sneakers.

"It's makes recruiting so much easier when a player comes from a winning program like Hassan did,'' said Olson. "Fundamentals are stressed and the competition in practice is excellent. It prepares them for what the college level is all about.''

Westchester was the third high school Adams attended following stops at Wilmington Banning and Verbum Dei. It's funny. As others (former Cal player Jamal Sampson and former Syracuse standout Jason Hart, each now in the NBA) left Westchester for prep programs that offered more opportunity for individual glory, Adams went the other direction.

"Obviously, (Adams) is one of the best players ever to come through our program," said Westchester coach Ed Azzam. "He would have stood out even more if not for all the other good players around him. He is the kind of guy that if someone else wasn't ready to go 100 percent in practice, they'd hear about it from Hassan. His work ethic was second-to-none."

Basketball began for Adams on the courts of St. Andrews Recreational Center in Los Angeles, two miles east on Manchester Boulevard from where the Lakers used to run "Showtime" at the Forum. Adams was barely four feet tall when he began shooting jumpers and polishing his skills at St. Andrews, always making sure he left before dark to avoid the troubles many encountered at night.

Soon, his reputation (and body) grew.

"Hassan Adams has always had a huge heart," says San Diego State senior guard Tony Bland, himself a former Westchester player who competed with and against Adams at local parks while growing up. "He is not scared of anything and won't back down from anything or anyone. Rarely do you find guys like him.

"He's gifted athletically and has the heart of a tiger. When you put those two things together, you get a special player. I expected him to do very well right away at Arizona. Myself and the guys from Westchester and others around our neighborhood have high expectations for Hassan. He's going to be a great player."

Said Evan Burns, the SDSU freshman and former L.A. Fairfax High star forward who joined Adams on last year's McDonald's squad: "I respect Hassan's game, but I respect him more as a person. I respect everything about him."

You hear the same kinds of things from Adams' teammates at Arizona, despite the fact he has been at the school such a short time. They love the fact he has always played his best on the biggest stages -- take his 24 points and seven rebounds in that state final -- and the fact his approach is sans ego.

His presence, along with fellow freshman Andre Iguodala, helps produce the depth Olson says could be the best of his Arizona tenure.

"People tell me I could be at another school scoring 30 points a game, but Coach Olson is going to make me a much better player," said Adams. "Every day in practice, I play with some of the best seniors in Division I basketball. It's a war every day. There's nothing like it to prepare me for what's ahead."

Which are great things, say those who know him.

Ed Graney of the San Diego Union-Tribune is a regular contributor to ESPN.com. He can be reached at ed.graney@uniontrib.com.