WNBA Finals Teams Leave Field During National Anthem
Both the Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream were not present on the court for the national anthem ahead of Game 1 of the WNBA Finals.
The Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream both left the court for the locker room during the national anthem prior to Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on Saturday. It remains unclear if the teams' absence during the anthem was a coordinated decision.
The Atlanta Dream has a history of protesting the national anthem, having issued a team statement in 2020 asserting that "the anthem does not represent freedom, justice and liberty for all Americans."
The Valkyries secured their first WNBA Finals victory with a 68-64 win over the Dream at the Chase Center. Golden State has experienced significant fan engagement throughout the season, with all home games selling out.
Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase encouraged fans to increase their energy for Game 2, stating after the game, "Once I get on there and I start to write my notes and I start to write my notes on the board, I kind of actually block everything out. But I did feel a different roar. I was excited, they were really screaming when they got announced. So great job, but hey, level up, right?"
The series continues with Game 2 on Monday.