Posted by Andrij on September 17, 2003 at 19:18:42:
In Reply to: Re: Medvedenko *is* a traitor posted by halya balovana on September 16, 2003 at 19:33:26:
Halya, your affections and loyalties are misplaced. Of course the Basketball Federation of Ukraine paid attention to Medvedenko when he played for Budivelnyk and BC Kyiv. Back then he was a mainstay of the national team. Do you really think any NBA scouts would have noticed him if not for those international tournaments? Do you suppose the scouts travelled to Ukraine to see the "zbihovys'ko veletniv" at the Palats sportu? It was the national team that gave him exposure in the first place.
And did Ukrainian basketball abandon Medvedenko when he got his NBA contract? Of course, not. Sasha Volkov came with him to the U.S. and spent a year acting as his personal translator, baby-sitter and hand-holder. But when Volkov asked him to return the favor--to play for the national team again--do you suppose that Medvedenko obliged? No. Remember, this isn't the first time S.M. has pulled this kind of stunt. He did the same thing prior to the last Euro championship two years ago.
So it's Medvedenko who abandoned Ukraine after he got his NBA contract, not the other way around.
And do you honestly think that the federation has somehow failed him? He's the one with the new house in Los Angeles and an annual salary of $1.5 million. That's more than any other Ukrainian player, save Potapenko. And it's not as though a great deal was being asked of him. His compatriots had done the hard part: qualified for the tournament over the span of the previous year. (I didn't see any of them complaining when asked to play for Ukraine.) All they wanted from Medvedenko was to play a handful of games, to give a week of his time.
Of course, if he isn't a patriot, he doesn't have to play for Ukraine. But remember how many NBA players did play for their countries this summer:
Abdul-Wahad, Arroyo, Brezec, Drobnjak, Gasol, Ginobili, Giricek, Hilario, Jaric, Kirilenko, Nachbar, Najera, Nash, Nowitzki, Okur, Oyedeji, Tony Parker, Rentzias, Daniel Santiago, Stojakovic, Tsakalidis, Turkoglu (among others). Most of them fought losing causes, but they did it anyway. So I say that Medvedenko and Potapenko had no excuse. Furthermore, to pull out just days before the tournament is not only unreliable behaviour, it's dishonourable.
And yes, that makes him a traitor. Find someone worthier of your admiration.