WNBA Finals Teams Leave Court for National Anthem
The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries were not present on the court during the playing of the national anthem before Game 1 of the WNBA Finals.
Both the Atlanta Dream and the Golden State Valkyries exited the court for the national anthem prior to Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on Saturday at Chase Center in San Francisco. The teams returned to the floor within seconds after the anthem concluded.
Reports indicate that both teams were on the court for warm-ups before disappearing for the roughly two minutes it took to perform "The Star-Spangled Banner." Almost immediately after the song ended, the teams jogged back onto the floor.
The reasons for the teams' absences during the anthem were not immediately clear. However, the Atlanta Dream has a history related to anthem protests. In its Aug. 2, 2020, game notes, the team included a statement from the WNBA players' union asserting that "the anthem does not represent freedom, justice and liberty for all Americans" and indicating that protests would continue in various forms.
This pregame situation with the Dream echoes a similar instance during the 2024 NCAA Tournament when Angel Reese's LSU team was off the court during the national anthem for their Elite Eight game against Iowa. At that time, LSU coach Kim Mulkey stated that the team's routine involved leaving the court 12 minutes before tipoff for pregame preparations and that their absence during the anthem was not intentional.
Analysts have questioned why being present for the national anthem cannot be incorporated into pregame routines, suggesting that a couple of minutes to show appreciation for the country while playing for a championship is a reasonable expectation. If current routines necessitate leaving the court during the anthem, the argument is that the routine should be adjusted.