To Russia, with love
One good thing about having to wake up early to go to the doctor the other day was a basketball game I saw. On NBA TV, the EuroLeague Women's All-Star Game was held Thursday in Moscow, Russia.
The format was Europe's All Stars against the Rest of the World. The Rest of the World, of course, included most of the WNBA stars from the United States, including Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Cappie Pondexter, etc. It also included Australian Lauren Jackson, the reigning WNBA MVP.
The European team featured a bunch of women most folks in Arkansas have never heard of. Plus, the newest Russian citizen suited up, a 5-6 lady by the name of Becky Hammon.
What?
That's right, Hammon, who was not invited to the tryouts for the U.S. National Team, is a newly naturalized Russian citizen.
Anyway, the European team blasted the Rest of the World to the tune of 111-86.
Amaya Valdemaro from Spain scored 25 points. Hammon scored 17 and 6-foot-8 Russian center Maria Stepanova scored 16 with 14 rebounds.
I love, love, love the European style of basketball. It was an All-Star Game so not much defense was played, but watching the finesse style was worth waking up early for.
The Europeans shot 14-of-27 from 3-point range and 21-of-24 at the free throw line.
It was an offensive clinic with Hammon's game meshing perfectly with the foreigners.
I'll have to give it some more thought but when the Olympics roll around, I might be the only American rooting for Russia in women's basketball. I really like the way they play.
The format was Europe's All Stars against the Rest of the World. The Rest of the World, of course, included most of the WNBA stars from the United States, including Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Cappie Pondexter, etc. It also included Australian Lauren Jackson, the reigning WNBA MVP.
The European team featured a bunch of women most folks in Arkansas have never heard of. Plus, the newest Russian citizen suited up, a 5-6 lady by the name of Becky Hammon.
What?
That's right, Hammon, who was not invited to the tryouts for the U.S. National Team, is a newly naturalized Russian citizen.
Anyway, the European team blasted the Rest of the World to the tune of 111-86.
Amaya Valdemaro from Spain scored 25 points. Hammon scored 17 and 6-foot-8 Russian center Maria Stepanova scored 16 with 14 rebounds.
I love, love, love the European style of basketball. It was an All-Star Game so not much defense was played, but watching the finesse style was worth waking up early for.
The Europeans shot 14-of-27 from 3-point range and 21-of-24 at the free throw line.
It was an offensive clinic with Hammon's game meshing perfectly with the foreigners.
I'll have to give it some more thought but when the Olympics roll around, I might be the only American rooting for Russia in women's basketball. I really like the way they play.
posted by Tony at
10:10 PM
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