Sophie Cunningham, a player for the Phoenix Mercury and a pending free agent, has voiced her stance on the WNBA teams' decision to skip the national anthem, indicating her disagreement with the practice. Cunningham, speaking on podcaster Theo Von's show, expressed her gratitude and support for military personnel and veterans.
"I just feel like personally I have a lot — I am grateful and I support the people who serve," Cunningham said. "We have family members who have served and they’re over there doing that are unimaginable for us to out here living our dreams and having the freedoms that we live. Anytime that I can shout out our veterans and the people who are currently fighting for us to live in the best country, I’m going to show that support, I’m going to give them love."
She further emphasized her personal conviction, stating, "That’s where I stand. That doesn’t mean that’s where everyone stands and if it’s right, wrong, whatever. I take a lot of pride in where I come from and I’m proud to be an American citizen."
The issue of players skipping the national anthem has become a prominent storyline during the WNBA Finals. While Cunningham did not directly name the Atlanta Dream and the Golden State Valkyries, her comments come as these teams have engaged in the practice throughout the season.
For the initial games of the WNBA Finals, the Dream and Valkyries did not remain on the court for "The Star-Spangled Banner," though they returned shortly after it concluded. The teams have not provided an explicit reason for their pregame routine. Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase has described it as part of their pregame routine, and player Gabby Williams has noted that it is not a new practice.
In 2020, the Dream released a statement asserting that "the anthem does not represent freedom, justice and liberty for all Americans." The teams' actions have drawn criticism, including from Vice President J.D. Vance, who stated, "I think that you should not express some criticism of a public policy of a given politician by disrespecting the country writ large."
Cunningham, 30, has previous WNBA Finals experience, having played in the 2021 Finals with the Mercury. She is a pending free agent following a season that also saw her become a notable figure for her stated opposition to transgender athletes participating in women's sports. This issue has continued to be a topic of discussion, extending into the Finals with the appearance of former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom.