BEIJING • Becky Hammon wanted to play in the Olympics.

Hammon wanted to play for her country, too.

Her country – at least the USA Basketball part of her country – didn’t want her. It either didn’t think she fit into its playing style. Or it didn’t think she was good enough to be part of the Olympic basketball team.

Russia wanted her. She’s good enough for Russia – actually nobody on Russia’s team is close to being Hammon’s equal. The former Colorado State University and current WNBA standout had a team-high 11 points when she went to the bench Saturday. Unwanted by USA Basketball, Hammon is Russia’s gain.

Nothing wrong with that. Good and talented people miss out on great jobs all the time. Good and talented people are unwanted or not needed all the time.

Bad fit. Skills not quite up to par.

Sometimes, that’s the way it goes. It stinks. But there you have it.

What’s worse, though, is the stench coming from those believing in and screaming comments about Hammon being un-American for playing for Russia. First off, what’s more American than legally having the power to choose to do what you want to do and nobody, again, legally being able to prevent it?

That’s Uncle Sam at his best right there.

“Doors open and doors shut,” Hammon said after Russia’s victory over Latvia in the opening round of pool play. “This is the door that was open to me. I’m thankful for my opportunity to be here. … I knew it was somewhat of a controversial decision. But I also know I’m doing it for the right reasons. I can’t live my life based on what other people think of me.”

She’s doing it because she has a dream she wants fulfilled. She’s living her dream right now. At 31, odds are good that this will be Hammon’s final shot at Olympic glory. She had to take it. Had she not, she would’ve committed the biggest crime an athlete can commit – not trying.

Hammon could’ve stayed home and sat on her couch watching the games on television like the rest of the country. But the rest of the country didn’t have the opportunity to play in the Games. The rest of the country wasn’t faced with that decision.

Too many in the rest of the country probably thought about big bad Red. Maybe it’s because it’s Russia that so many have issue with this. If it were Brazil or Angola, angry folks would’ve found cooler heads.

Look, even Rambo moved on from Russia. In the sports arena, why can’t we?

“The Russians have been very good to me, so I’m thankful,” Hammon said. “I still love my country. This is basketball. This is not World War III or something.

“The history between the United States and Russia is what adds a little bit of gasoline to the fire. That was a long time ago. We’re in a different generation right now. I’m a basketball player, and in the scheme of life, what I do is not too incredibly important. … I’m proud of what America represents. I love my country. But Russia has been good to me, too. They’ve been very kind.”

More than many of her countrymen.

Understand folks, this isn’t something new. Hammon knew it was going to be a tough go. She knew there would be support and hatred. What she probably didn’t know was the scope of both. And what she probably didn’t think or care about was a hypocritical populace that doesn’t raise a voice when foreign-born folks win medals for the U.S.

Hammon didn’t wake up one day with the notion of irritating the nation that reared her. She didn’t turn her back on her country.

“I would’ve given my left arm to play for my country,” Hammon said. “But that was never supposed to be. That’s not how my story plays out.”

Hammon’s story is playing out right. The story might not have been her first dream. But, she’s still living one.-Columnist Milo Bryant can be reached at 636-0252 or milo.bryant@gazettedev.gazette.com. Check out Milo’s blog, The Extra Milo, at milobryant.freedomblogging.com

Photo by (Christian Murdock, The Gazette)