The U.S. Olympic committee told Becky Hammon that her lifelong dream to play Olympic basketball was never going to happen. Nice reworking of the actual narrative. Later, Hammon received an invitation to try out for the U.S. team, but she said contractual obligations with CSKA left her unable to attend. Before she made her final decision, she said she and her agent, Mike Cound, reached out to USA Basketball for clarification on where she stood. They came away with the impression that she wasn't in serious contention to make the team. So Hammon took her Olympic dream elsewhere. Her stats in the WNBA Looks like she did not play internationally between 2002 and 2006 - the NWBL was a joke. Perhaps others can speak to her high school and college participation in USA Basketball -- which, by the way, has a system by which coaches can recommend players. "Unheralded" Becky won the Frances Pomeroy Naismith (though the WBCA does misspell her name. sigh) While in college: Hammon had a distinguished career at Colorado State. Her prolific scoring made her an All-American as well as Colorado Sportswoman of the Year. She led her team to a 33-3 record in the 1998-1999 season and helped them advance to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet Sixteen. She was the WAC Mountain Division player of the year for the 1998-1999 season and surpassed University of Utah player Keith Van Horn as the WAC's all-time leading scorer. Who was on the AA team: Svetlana Abrosimova, Connecticut Angie Braziel, Texas Tech Dominique Canty, Alabama Tamika Catchings, Tennessee Becky Hammon, Colorado State • Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee Semeka Randall, Tennessee Stephanie White-McCarty, Purdue Tamika Whitmore, Memphis Amanda Wilson, Louisiana Tech
Responding to KnightBridgeAZ - it's really quite simple. I am not disparaging anyone (those picking the team) or anything (the USOC, the selection process) that compelled Becky Hammon to take her talents to Moscow. I am addressing those that criticize her for her choice. However - to address your understanding at the time... In 2008 - Becky Hammon was a 10 year WNBA veteran (check the Wikipedia link in THisJustIn's post above). At that same link: "Hammon had her best season of her career in 2007 posting career high averages of 18.8 ppg (fourth best) and 5.0 apg (first in WNBA)." I suspect it would be reasonable to expect that a player averaging almost 19 points per game, while leading the league in assists might at least receive an invitation to try out for the team, especially when contrasting her numbers to Ms. Lawson's. Not to MAKE the team - as Ms. Lawson ultimately did. But to be invited to try out for the team. Responding to ThisJustInKnightBridgeAZ - By not inviting her to even try out after such a season, is it not reasonable to posit that, in effect "The U.S. Olympic committee told Becky Hammon that her lifelong dream to play Olympic basketball was never going to happen." As such, I stand by my original point in applauding Ms. Hammon for overcoming significant obstacles - not the least of which included derision for such an unpatriotic act - to live her dream.
I watched Becky (I was a NYLib season subscriber '98-last year) so I'm well aware of her talent and evolution. I'm just weary of the "unknown" "overlooked" and "denied" narrative that she (and some of her fans) put forth. I understand it -- makes for great copy. I have other issues with her current narrative which, I'm sure, influence my opinion of her as a person, but NOT a basketball player. Her ACL and post-college/wnba/international play (what were her stats) aside - I wonder, where was she during her college years with USA Basketball? Did no coach recommend her? It was a lifelong dream, so why wasn't she part of any pool of players? As for how she reacted to her USA BBall discussions when they invited her, who cares if "she got the impression" -- it's your dream, prove'em wrong. Sacrifice. Didn't Lawson do something similar? That being said -- I have no issue with her choices. I think it's cool -- raises the international game, gets her publicity, gets women's basketball publicity. It's all good.
Just to be clear - I have no idea why Becky, so far as I know, was not active in the USA Basketball program. That's why I never thought she should have been picked for a senior team slot, it has always been evident that participation in the program is a major factor. Maybe she just says now that it was "always a dream"? Lots of very good players are not necessarily involved with USA basketball - and she must have been somewhat less than heralded when younger to end up at Colorado State or is there something I don't know? As I said, I could care less if a player - provided they are not turning down the US, and I seriously don't believe Becky was ever going to be picked or had any reason to think she was (regardless if that was her own fault) - chooses to go through the process and play for another team, so long as it is permitted. I suppose in the ideal world, I wish it wasn't permitted only because I think it is kind of silly to play for a nation not your own, but it is, she is, and for better or worse, here we are.
The intent is the intent - nations vs. nations. It may be a great story, she's proving that she can play, the Olympics may have some messed up processes and priorities (and probably always will), you may not like the idea of nations vs. nations, the selection process could very well be flawed, but that's how it is right now. Fate placed her in a nation which is the leader in her chosen sport and there is a lot of competition for the chance to represent the U.S. And I guess she took advantage of the rules in place, but doesn't mean it's any more right than if she indeed had been kept out of consideration for the team for not being part of the "establishment." Ideally, both issues should be addressed, as much as can be addressed when dealing with humans. But just sounds like a slippery slope. Wait till some filthy rich king of some tiny nation buys his own vanity Olympic medal-winning team . And what of the Russians (Sveta, for one, though I get the feeling she wasn't going to be there regardless ) who have one less spot to play for their own nation? What about their Olympic dream? Life's not always fair, as we all know. I like stories with a happy ending as much as anyone but this one leaves a bad taste in my mouth. BTW, I do think that using the word "traitor" is uncalled for. This ain't war.
Important distinction: Hammon wasn't afforded the OPPORTUNITY to be a part of the squad. In 2008, it wasn't as though she competed, failed, went to Russia. She was excluded (right or wrong, for whatever reason - irrelevant to the point here!) at the outset, owned it, and overcame it. Therein lies the rub - Sveta (who happens to be one of my all-time favorite players) had the same opportunity (again- setting aside bias, politics, etc...) as Hammon to make the Russian team. In that respect, to the contrary, "life was absolutely fair" - at least as fair as any competition is...
Huh?? If she hadn't gotten Russian citizenship she couldn't have played in the Olympics at all. And the answer to your question is a definitive yes. Had she been allowed to try out for the U.S. team she might not be playing for Russia now.
