Becky Hammon

[angel_luv]

No.

Becky Hammon is an incredible athlete who wanted to play in the Olympics and made it happen.

Good for her.

[SilverStarsNation]

Isn't this the crybaby traitor that was so bent because she wasn't good enough for her own countries team that she defected like a Anti-American whiner just to get some Olympic PT?

Actually she wasn't allowed to try out fo the Olympic team even though her numbers were better then both Bird and Kara Lawson. The final spot went to Lawson whose college coach Pat Summit was on the selection commite. She didn't defect. She like Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi (US NT players) all have foriegn passports for Euroleage play. The difference in having the Euro passport is how much they get paid. The difference in having a Euro passport is about an extra $200,000- $400,000 per season. Making money...the American Way!

[ploto]

In September, USA Basketball expanded the list to more than 30 names. Hammon was invited to try out just days before training camp began. She knew that if she accepted the invitation and participated in international play for the United States, she would greatly diminish the value of her Russian contract, one of the most lucrative in women's basketball. Essentially, she says was choosing between a guaranteed seven-figure contract and the long odds of making the U.S. team.

"Why should I take that chance for a really, really long shot and pass up four years of playing over in Russia?" Hammon asks. "I couldn't do that financially."...


Even though Hammon is not of Russian descent, speaks no Russian and is not a full-time resident, she was fast-tracked for Russian citizenship in February by the highest levels of Russian government.

Dual citizenship makes Hammon a precious commodity in the Russian league because two Russians must be on the floor at all times, and each club is allowed only two American players. That's why American stars like Diana Taurasi (Italy) and Sue Bird (Israel) also have procured foreign passports.

But unlike Taurasi and Bird, Hammon has a Russian passport. Because Hammon has never competed in a sanctioned international compe ion for USA Basketball, FIBA rules allow her to represent another country in the Olympics. Capitalizing on the fact that FIBA rules allow one naturalized citizen to compete for each country, the Russians offered Hammon not only a passport but also an opportunity to play for them at the Olympics.

Hammon makes the maximum WNBA salary, approximately $95,000. Her Russian team pays her six times that much. Knowing that her character and her patriotism would be questioned in America, Hammon (and her agent Mike Cound) made sure it was worth the trouble.

In March, she signed a four-year deal worth well more than $2 million. By agreeing to dual citizenship, Hammon nearly tripled her salary. "There's nothing more American than taking advantage of an opportunity," she said, smiling...

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=3427182

[angel_luv]

No.

Becky Hammon is an incredible athlete who wanted to play in the Olympics and made it happen.

Good for her.

Or...
Becky Hammon is an incredible athlete who wanted to bank in the big bucks and made it happen.

Good for her still.

[Buddy Holly]

What big bucks?

[SilverStarsNation]

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=3427182

What that article doesn't say is that she had already signed a contract to play for CSKA Moscow when they added her to expanded list. They added her name about a week before she was to report to CSKA. She basically would have breached her CSKA contract to attend when she and everyone else already knew she wasn't going to make team. She didn't attend UCONN or Tenn or Stanford. She didn't have the pedigre.
It also doesn't say the players were requried to attend a certain number of training camps to make the team. That invitation would have left her about 4 camp sessions short or that number.

[BacktoBasics]

Or...
Becky Hammon is an incredible athlete who wanted to bank in the big bucks and made it happen.

Good for her still.

She slapped her country in the face for money and notoriety. You support that?

[SenorSpur]

She slapped her country in the face for money and notoriety. You support that?

If you followed the story, you'd know that Hammon wasn't chosen as one of the final 15 or 16 players to represent the USA - even though she was clearly one of the WNBA's better players. And despite the claims from credible basketball experts like Nancy Lieberman, who pleaded to the US women's basketball committee to find a place for her.

Because Hammon badly wanted to participate in the Olympic experience, she took matters into her own hands. It was only after she made the committment to the Russian team, that the US Womens Select Committee came calling, offering her a spot. By then, it was too late.

Instead of staying home, she played for another country and got paid well for her 3 year committment. Basically she's playing year round, so cut her some slack.

[SilverStarsNation]

If you followed the story, you'd know that Hammon wasn't chosen as one of the final 15 or 16 players to represent the USA - even though she was clearly one of the WNBA's better players. And despite the claims from credible basketball experts like Nancy Lieberman, who pleaded to the US women's basketball committee to find a place for her.

Because Hammon badly wanted to participate in the Olympic experience, she took matters into her own hands. It was only after she made the committment to the Russian team, that the US Womens Select Committee came calling, offering her a spot. By then, it was too late.

Instead of staying home, she played for another country and got paid well for her 3 year committment. Basically she's playing year round, so cut her some slack.

Even with that they weren't offering her a spot. They put her on the training camp list only to make the team going to Brazil to qualify. They did it a few days before the camp opened. Word was she was never in serious consideration. The committe was getting flack from people like Liberman and even Coach Hughes and getting some bad press.

[BacktoBasics]

If you followed the story, you'd know that Hammon wasn't chosen as one of the final 15 or 16 players to represent the USA - even though she was clearly one of the WNBA's better players. And despite the claims from credible basketball experts like Nancy Lieberman, who pleaded to the US women's basketball committee to find a place for her.

Because Hammon badly wanted to participate in the Olympic experience, she took matters into her own hands. It was only after she made the committment to the Russian team, that the US Womens Select Committee came calling, offering her a spot. By then, it was too late.

Instead of staying home, she played for another country and got paid well for her 3 year committment. Basically she's playing year round, so cut her some slack.

That pretty much locked in what I expected. She didn't push the issue because it might have cost her. her.

In September, USA Basketball expanded the list to more than 30 names. Hammon was invited to try out just days before training camp began. She knew that if she accepted the invitation and participated in international play for the United States, she would greatly diminish the value of her Russian contract, one of the most lucrative in women's basketball. Essentially, she says was choosing between a guaranteed seven-figure contract and the long odds of making the U.S. team.

"Why should I take that chance for a really, really long shot and pass up four years of playing over in Russia?" Hammon asks. "I couldn't do that financially."...

[jonnybravo]

Whoa is Coop rocking pink shoes? Wtf man.

[Sigz]

Becky is fine.

[SenorSpur]

That pretty much locked in what I expected. She didn't push the issue because it might have cost her. her.

Hammon wouldn't be the first American to earn a living outside the U.S.

Do you want to condemn Muhammad Ali for holding a fight in the former African province of Zaire in the '70s? How about giving the finger to Tiger Woods when he participates in an annual golf tournament in Dubai? Or maybe you'd like to give NFL Commissioner Roger Goddell the business for scheduling annual NFL games in England, Mexico or Japan? While you're at it, why not come down on former Olympic sprinter Michael Johnson, who currently does track commentary for BBC radio in London?

Get my drift. Thousands of Americans work and live overseas because their occupations dictate so. It doesn't mean they're any less patriotic than you. Lighten' up. It's just sports. You're acting as though this girl is anti-American, burned the flag and has renounced her citizenship.

[Jahivah]

no thanks
I'm not into 12 year old boys

So true. She has a pretty face and that's about the start and finish of that. Alot of desperate guys on here it seems. Becky is average AT BEST.

[ginomvp]

So true. She has a pretty face and that's about the start and finish of that. Alot of desperate guys on here it seems. Becky is average AT BEST.

i think she pretty cute for anybodys standards but as far as WNBA standards she is a gorgeous knockout. and dude im sure u wouldn't turn her down if she came crawling into ur bed just like evrybody else here.

[Sigz]

So true. She has a pretty face and that's about the start and finish of that. Alot of desperate guys on here it seems. Becky is average AT BEST.

And I'm sure there are a lot of guys on here who think they're the , and can get any in the world.

[ploto]

Hammon wouldn't be the first American to earn a living outside the U.S.

Has nothing to do with her playing in Russia- lots of players play in foreign countries- and everything to do with her becoming a Russian citizen. I think that is the problem people have. And who is to say she would not get to play in the next Olympics for the US.

[ChumpDumper]

I fully support her taking the money over maybe getting a spot on the US olympic team. That's the price paid for allowing, no, demanding pros play in the games.

[Solid D]

Whoa is Coop rocking pink shoes? Wtf man.

I believe that would be to support breast cancer awareness.

[CubanSucks]

That pretty much locked in what I expected. She didn't push the issue because it might have cost her. her.

you asshole. Listen carefully, IT'S ONLY A SPORT!!!

[Agloco]

What big bucks?

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=3427182

[SilverStarsNation]

Has nothing to do with her playing in Russia- lots of players play in foreign countries- and everything to do with her becoming a Russian citizen. I think that is the problem people have. And who is to say she would not get to play in the next Olympics for the US.

Next Olympics she will be 35 years old. It was now or never.
And she would have gotten the Russian passport even without the Olympics. It was part of her contract with CSKA the same as it was for Kelly Miller with Spartak and Deana Nolan for UMMC. There are limits on the number of American players that can be on the floor at the same time. The foriegn passport for an American born player of her caliber is worth a lot money for club play.

[dave]

She's as much of a traitor as Tanith Belbin is
So Russia gets Hammon and earns a silver, you guys get Belbin and silver, thats all cool
but what the does Canada get? ing Dalembert? can't even qualify...
. why the doesnt anyone good want to come here


btw, i dont consider either tanith or becky to be traitors
i am however very disappointed with the teams canada always has

[SenorSpur]

So what. Steve Nash is a Canadian traitor because he's playing ball in the States. I don't know whether he's applied for dual citizenship, but you get my meaning. It aint that big a deal. It's not like the girl is going to defect to Moscow. She's just playing there to better her economic situation.

Unfortunately for the WNBA player, the foreign market pays better than here. I bear no ill will for anyone wanting to improve their economic situation. Now if she spoke out against or criticized the country in any way, that's another story.

[EricB]

Yeah the Foreign teams pay six figures, I think the WNBA only pays like 40 grand.