SAN FRANCISCO – Both the Atlanta Dream and the Golden State Valkyries exited the court before the national anthem prior to Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on Saturday at Chase Center, returning shortly after it concluded. During the pregame warm-up, the teams left the floor for approximately two minutes, only to jog back on moments after the anthem was sung.
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The reasons behind this decision were not immediately clear. Historically, the Dream has a history with anthem protests; in 2020, the team included a statement in its game notes from the WNBA players’ union, expressing that the anthem does not represent freedom and justice for all Americans and that protests would continue in various forms.
The timing of both teams' absence raised questions, particularly regarding the need for them to leave the court during the anthem. The phenomenon of teams not participating in the anthem is not new; for instance, during the 2024 NCAA Tournament, Angel Reese’s LSU team also remained off the floor while opponents stood in solidarity, an act that prompted discussions about the significance of the anthem in sports.
Past coaching remarks echoed the sentiment of the Atlanta team's recent absence. LSU’s coach, Kim Mulkey, previously indicated that her players’ absence during the anthem was unintentional and part of their pregame routine. This has led to ongoing discussions about whether consideration for playing the national anthem should be integrated into teams' pregame preparations.
OutKick has reached out to the WNBA, Atlanta Dream, and Golden State Valkyries for comment, but received no immediate response.