Hammon to play for Russia in Olympics

Disregarding temporarily how she achieved it, she is, in fact, Russian. That's what it means to hold citizenship.

 

How the runner-up for the WNBA MVP doesn't make the USA Team is a travesty...

She's making the wrong move here, and one of the few marketable players in the WNBA, is no longer... But shame on whoever the women's coach is for not having her on the team...

 

Good for Becky.
She wasn't good enough to play for America.
She still gets to play (legally) for some other team.

 

Other than she was good enough to play for America.

 

Yeah, I should have added that she wasn't "perceived to be" good enough.
My bad.

She's definitely one of the more talented players on the women's circuit today.
I'm just glad she's getting to realize an Olympic dream.

 

Shush, Beef, you're just trying to make me cry ...

Agreed ... wrote stories on a gal who was on the shooting team for Jamaica at the Athens Summer Games ... wasn't good enough for the Canadian team, good enough for the Jamaican team ... she held dual because her mom was from there.

 

Just got done seeing CNN do a segment on this.
Good for her. Sounds like Team USA forgot about her, and because she has Russian citizenship, that makes eligible for the Russian team.
She isn't doing anything wrong.
I thought it was interesting that the American coach called Hammon a "traitor" but that's just me.

 

This guy thinks she made the right decision.

 

It isn't terribly interesting, just wrong. And given that Anne Donovan is Team USA's coach, the remark should be taken with a pound of salt. While she was an incredible player, Donovan has done little but make enemies and shoot from the lip since hanging up the sneakers.

 

Saw the CNN story today also.

Donovan: "Traitor!!! Who I, um, didn't really consider for a spot until I heard she was good enough to start for Russia."

I do wish the IOC (and FIFA, for that matter) would tighten rules on this, but the system being what it is, good for Hammon.

 

What it all comes down to is, do you want to represent your country in the Olympics or do you just want to participate in the Olympics? Seems to me it wouldn't be nearly the same to be an Olympian for a country I felt no particular connection to. I have no animosity toward Hammon, but for an athlete born and raised in this country, I would think that having USA on your chest is a big part of the Olympic dream. If you don't have that, what's the point?

 

I would agree ... but factoring in that Becky Hammon shouldn't have been blackballed, that she's one of the best players in the WNBA and women's basketball as a whole and it's difficult to blame her for this decision.

She's not a fringe player looking for any way to get to Beijing. She shouldn't have had so much red tape to go through. Do you think Candace Parker, Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes or anyone else that really wants to play for Team USA was hassled? I kinda doubt it, too.