WNBA star Becky Hammon will suit up for the Russiam Olympic Team rather than team USA. Hammon is an American born player who grew up in South Dakota. She was barely recruited out of High School, but landed a scholarship with Colorado State where she became an All-American and led her team to its first ever Sweet 16. However, this was not enough as she went undrafted but was eventually signed into the WNBA where she finished 2nd in the MVP voting last year.

Last sumemr, USA basketball put out a pool of 23 players that would be trying out for the Olympic team, Hammon's name was not on that list. She later signed a contract with a Russian club team that she would play with during the off-season. Included in this 4 year 2 million dollar (6 times what she is maknig in the WNBA) contract was the possibility of playing for the Russian National Team. She was later offered a spot to try out for Team USA, but declined because it would put her Russian contract in jeopardy. "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."

Hammon has always dreamed of playing in the Olympics. When she felt that Team USA did not want her on thier roster she felt her best opportunity would be to suit up for Russia. "The jersey that I wear has never made me who I was. It has nothing to do with what's written on my heart," Hammon told ESPN.com Tuesday. "Will I be playing for Russia? Yes. But I'm absolutely 100 percent still an American. I love our country. I love what we stand for. This is an opportunity to fulfill my dream of playing in the Olympics."

USA Basketball Coach Anne Donovan said, "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."

The Olympics are possibly the World's biggest stage for sports and it would be hard to pass up the opportunity to play in them. "The opportunity to play on the Olympic stage was too compelling to pass up, and Hammon admits she would have chosen to play for Russia even without financial incentives rather than sit out the Olympics entirely."

Is Hammon a traitor for not not playing for team USA? Some may that she is and that playing for Russia is a horrible mistake. Others may say that she is just following her dreams and playing where she is wanted.