Underground_Network
June 28th, 2008, 11:08 AM
WNBA's Hammon pursuing an Olympic dream ... with Russia
By Jill Lieber Steeg, USA TODAY
Growing up a pony-tailed patriot in America's heartland, shooting hoops on a cement slab at her family's rural Rapid City, S.D., home, where a flag proudly hung from the front porch, Becky Hammon always dreamed of playing basketball in the Olympics.
"I don't know how anybody could be more All-American than me," says the San Antonio Silver Stars guard, last season's runner-up for WNBA MVP. "I grew up in America's heartland, where we live by the credo: God, family and country. We had no WNBA back then: The Olympics were the ultimate."
At the end of July, when the WNBA takes a short hiatus for the Beijing Olympics, Hammon finally gets the chance to fulfill her childhood dreams, although not in the scenario she had played in her head as South Dakota's Miss Basketball. Instead of representing the USA, she'll travel to Moscow to try out for Russia's Olympic team. She'll be joined by two WNBA players — Detroit's Deanna Nolan and Phoenix's Kelly Miller.
Playing for Russia, ranked No. 3 in the world, wasn't a slam dunk for Hammon. She agonized for months, coming to peace with it through prayer.
"The true agony was accepting that I wasn't going to be on the USA squad," says Hammon, 31, in her 10th WNBA season as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado State. "It was very hard to swallow.
"It was difficult for me to envision myself playing for Russia. I had stereotypes and perceptions that I had to get over. Growing up in the '80s, after I saw the movie, Red Dawn, I slept in my parents' bedroom for months because I thought the Russians were going to invade the USA."
If not for the support of her family and friends, Hammon says, she would have agonized even more after learning about recent derogatory comments made against her by U.S. Olympic coach Anne Donovan. Donovan told ESPN's Mark Schwarz, "If you play in this country, live in this country, and you grow up in the heartland and you put on a Russian uniform, you are not a patriotic person in my mind."
"I know people have certain opinions," Hammon says. "I'm not on the internet…I'm not giving weight to untruths in regards to me."
Dan Hughes, Silver Stars head coach and general manager, defended his star player. "She has been an incredible, first-class player for the WNBA and San Antonio. Becky is playing within the rules of international basketball. I've known her to be an incredibly poised and impactful player for us. I have nothing but respect for her. She has been an absolute joy to coach."
Hammon's Russian basketball odyssey began last summer, when USA Basketball released its list of 23 players being considered for the Olympic team. Long overlooked by the U.S. senior national team, her name was not on it. She subsequently signed a lucrative contract with club team CSKA Moscow.
Hammon has no ancestral ties to Russia, and under Russian league rules, she was eligible for a Russian passport and to become a naturalized citizen. She received her passport in March. As part of her CSKA contract, her agent Mike Cound says, she agreed to participate in the training camp for Russia's Olympic team.
According to FIBA rules, "A national team participating in an international competition of FIBA may have only one player who has acquired the legal nationality of that country by naturalization or by any other means." Hammon says that, barring injury, she has the lone spot all but wrapped up.
Meanwhile, J.R. Holden, a former Bucknell point guard who plays for CSKA Moscow, is expected to play for Russia's Olympic men's team.
In addition to erasing her own stereotypes of Russians, Hammon also had to change their perceptions of Americans.
"A lot of Russians didn't want a naturalized player on the Olympic team, especially an American," Hammon says. "I had to prove that I could be trusted. I had to build a bridge of friendship, respect and camaraderie."
She says Maria Stepanova, Russia's national team captain and a CSKA teammate, eventually told her: "I know you now. You can play for my team any time."
The earliest the USA and Russia could meet would be the Olympic quarterfinals. How will Hammon feel if she hits the game-winning shot to defeat the USA?
"I asked myself, 'Am I OK with winning the gold? Am I OK with not winning any medal?' " she says. "But until I walk into the stadium during opening ceremonies with Russia across my chest, I really won't know how I'm going to feel."
Her parents, Marty and Bev, will be with her in Beijing, along with sister Gina and some friends. Will they dress in USA garb? Or will they wear Russia's colors?
"They'll go neutral," she says. "They'll wear Becky Hammon shirts."
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2008-06-17-hammon_N.htm
By Jill Lieber Steeg, USA TODAY
Growing up a pony-tailed patriot in America's heartland, shooting hoops on a cement slab at her family's rural Rapid City, S.D., home, where a flag proudly hung from the front porch, Becky Hammon always dreamed of playing basketball in the Olympics.
"I don't know how anybody could be more All-American than me," says the San Antonio Silver Stars guard, last season's runner-up for WNBA MVP. "I grew up in America's heartland, where we live by the credo: God, family and country. We had no WNBA back then: The Olympics were the ultimate."
At the end of July, when the WNBA takes a short hiatus for the Beijing Olympics, Hammon finally gets the chance to fulfill her childhood dreams, although not in the scenario she had played in her head as South Dakota's Miss Basketball. Instead of representing the USA, she'll travel to Moscow to try out for Russia's Olympic team. She'll be joined by two WNBA players — Detroit's Deanna Nolan and Phoenix's Kelly Miller.
Playing for Russia, ranked No. 3 in the world, wasn't a slam dunk for Hammon. She agonized for months, coming to peace with it through prayer.
"The true agony was accepting that I wasn't going to be on the USA squad," says Hammon, 31, in her 10th WNBA season as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado State. "It was very hard to swallow.
"It was difficult for me to envision myself playing for Russia. I had stereotypes and perceptions that I had to get over. Growing up in the '80s, after I saw the movie, Red Dawn, I slept in my parents' bedroom for months because I thought the Russians were going to invade the USA."
If not for the support of her family and friends, Hammon says, she would have agonized even more after learning about recent derogatory comments made against her by U.S. Olympic coach Anne Donovan. Donovan told ESPN's Mark Schwarz, "If you play in this country, live in this country, and you grow up in the heartland and you put on a Russian uniform, you are not a patriotic person in my mind."
"I know people have certain opinions," Hammon says. "I'm not on the internet…I'm not giving weight to untruths in regards to me."
Dan Hughes, Silver Stars head coach and general manager, defended his star player. "She has been an incredible, first-class player for the WNBA and San Antonio. Becky is playing within the rules of international basketball. I've known her to be an incredibly poised and impactful player for us. I have nothing but respect for her. She has been an absolute joy to coach."
Hammon's Russian basketball odyssey began last summer, when USA Basketball released its list of 23 players being considered for the Olympic team. Long overlooked by the U.S. senior national team, her name was not on it. She subsequently signed a lucrative contract with club team CSKA Moscow.
Hammon has no ancestral ties to Russia, and under Russian league rules, she was eligible for a Russian passport and to become a naturalized citizen. She received her passport in March. As part of her CSKA contract, her agent Mike Cound says, she agreed to participate in the training camp for Russia's Olympic team.
According to FIBA rules, "A national team participating in an international competition of FIBA may have only one player who has acquired the legal nationality of that country by naturalization or by any other means." Hammon says that, barring injury, she has the lone spot all but wrapped up.
Meanwhile, J.R. Holden, a former Bucknell point guard who plays for CSKA Moscow, is expected to play for Russia's Olympic men's team.
In addition to erasing her own stereotypes of Russians, Hammon also had to change their perceptions of Americans.
"A lot of Russians didn't want a naturalized player on the Olympic team, especially an American," Hammon says. "I had to prove that I could be trusted. I had to build a bridge of friendship, respect and camaraderie."
She says Maria Stepanova, Russia's national team captain and a CSKA teammate, eventually told her: "I know you now. You can play for my team any time."
The earliest the USA and Russia could meet would be the Olympic quarterfinals. How will Hammon feel if she hits the game-winning shot to defeat the USA?
"I asked myself, 'Am I OK with winning the gold? Am I OK with not winning any medal?' " she says. "But until I walk into the stadium during opening ceremonies with Russia across my chest, I really won't know how I'm going to feel."
Her parents, Marty and Bev, will be with her in Beijing, along with sister Gina and some friends. Will they dress in USA garb? Or will they wear Russia's colors?
"They'll go neutral," she says. "They'll wear Becky Hammon shirts."
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2008-06-17-hammon_N.htm