It’s a time-worn clich‚ that there is no ‘I’ in team.

Even prima donnas such as Isaiah Rider and Latrell Sprewell of the NBA spout this rhetoric when the situation suits them. They then proceed to hoist up 35 shots, whine their way into costly technical fouls and deride their teammates for lacking determination or toughness.

Clich‚ or not, for Cyclone freshman point guard Lindsey Wilson, it’s no mere lip service. Team success stands paramount on her short list of basketball goals.

“I want to win a national championship,” Wilson said flatly. “That’s why I came halfway across the country. Individual goals will come.”

Wilson, a BCI (Basketball Congress International) All-American her senior year at Roosevelt High School in Seattle, chose Iowa State over Rice and Arizona State among schools she visited.

“I knew Iowa State was the one,” Wilson said. “On my recruiting visit, I was very impressed with the support around the university and the women’s basketball team. The coaches love the team, and the reputation of having a strong program since coach [Bill] Fennelly has been here was obviously a big incentive.”

Wilson averaged double figures in scoring as a four-year starter at Roosevelt.

As a senior, she poured in 23 points per game and was a first-team, all-state selection by the Associated Press and the Seattle Times.

In addition to her basketball prowess, Wilson earned plaudits for her ability in soccer and track, winning a national junior Olympic championship in 1993 for the 4 x 800 relay.

But basketball always had that special allure; it was the sport Wilson felt almost called to do.

“I started to play basketball when I was five with my brothers, but when I was little I played every sport,” Wilson said. “As I got older I realized basketball was the one I really loved. It was just so much fun for me, and it became a passion. I believe it was in my blood — at some point this was meant to happen. Obviously I’ve put a lot into it and had to work for it, though.”

Averaging 13.9 minutes a game and nearly six points per contest for Iowa State, Wilson has seen important minutes as a first-year player.

“I think she’s got the best of both worlds,” Fennelly said. “She gets to play and get game experience, and she gets to play behind one of the best point guards in the country [Stacy Frese].

“When you’re around Stacy, you’re learning a lot — not just about the game — but how to win, how to be a leader in this program and what we expect from our players on a regular basis. These are things that the coaches can talk about, but when you have a real-life example, it means a heck of a lot more.”

For many athletes, the transition from prominent star to understudy and reserve player is difficult and stressful.

Wilson agrees but remains comfortable with her present situation, acknowledging that it’s a necessary phase while learning to take her game to its highest level.

“Coming in and not being an immediate star — that’s fine,” Wilson said. “College basketball is much more of a team game. We all work hard together and cheer for each other. Everybody has a role, from the person off the bench to the last person.”

Wilson plays the role of instigator, which contrasts somewhat with Frese’s more stable, methodical style.

“She’s very competitive, she’s learning our system, but I think her ability to push the ball in transition has been really important,” Fennelly said of Wilson.

“She’s always in attack mode, and she’s shot the ball better. When she first came in, she wasn’t a great perimeter shooter, but she’s worked real hard at it,” he said.

Through 18 games, Wilson has connected on 55 percent of her three-point attempts, converting 11 of 20.

Defense, according to Fennelly, is the area in which Wilson has the most room for improvement.

“That’s always one of the hardest things for a young person, learning how to play defense at this level,” Fennelly said. “For most young players, the defensive end of the court is the least amount of fun and takes the most work.”

With respect to basketball, it seems hard work and fun are synonymous for Wilson — two sides of the same coin that pays the cost for “what’s meant to happen:” winning a national championship with Iowa State.

“We’ve got be keep being selfless,” Wilson said. “That’s what has gotten us so far. Just playing smart, playing hard and playing together — that has a lot to do with [winning].”

What leads to winning is what drew Wilson to small-town Ames, but it’s the thought of hoisting the NCAA championship trophy in April that keeps her desire stoked.

“A lot of people think: ‘Why would you come here from Seattle?'” Wilson said. “But basketball is my life; I would do anything for it.