NANCY ARMOUR
Brittney Griner
Becky Hammon's criticism of Vladimir Putin hits hard given her history with Russia | Opinion
After being repeatedly overlooked by USA Basketball, Becky Hammon accepted an invitation to play for Russia at two Olympic Games. She led the team to bronze in Beijing in 2008.
Nancy ArmourUSA TODAY
The profound grief throughout the WNBA following Brittney Griner’s conviction and sentencing was understandable.
So, too, Becky Hammon’s fury.
Asked her thoughts about the nine-year sentence imposed Thursday on the two-time Olympic champion and eight-time WNBA All-Star, Hammon initially said, "I certainly have a lot of thoughts on it." She paused briefly, then called Griner’s detainment since Feb. 17 "heartbreaking" and "beyond concerning."