Becky Hammon redux

[stamfordhusky]

I read that she got Russian citizenship so that she would be payed more money to play in the Olympics. If she were not payed any money would she have changed citizenship & played in the Olympics for the Russians?

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.

 

[stamfordhusky]

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.

Yes, that is a very important distinction - one that a number of people don't seem to understand.