The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries drew sharp criticism after leaving the court for the national anthem before the WNBA Finals opener, with broadcaster Emily Austin condemning the departure as disgraceful. Both teams returned seconds after the performance ended. Atlanta has previously published an explicit justification for anthem protests, while players elsewhere in the league have remained on the floor to honor the flag.
The incident occurred Saturday, October 17th, at Chase Center in San Francisco, where recording artist Goapele performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” before Game 1. The New York Post reported that both teams went to their locker rooms and came back after the song. OutKick sought explanations from the franchises and the WNBA, but none immediately responded to its requests for comment.
Atlanta’s history of anthem protests reaches back years. Its August 2nd, 2020, game notes included a statement from the Women’s National Basketball Players Association explaining demonstrations during opening weekend. The union described a leaguewide effort to challenge what the anthem represented and said players would continue protesting through different forms of demonstration.
Those official game notes said “the anthem does not represent freedom, justice and liberty for all Americans.” The statement appeared alongside the team’s regular basketball information distributed for its matchup against Indiana. Six years later, Atlanta again stayed off the floor for the anthem against the Fever during an August regular-season game, while Indiana’s players remained on the court.
Fever guard Sophie Cunningham stood with her right hand over her heart during that August performance, with Caitlin Clark beside her. Senator Tommy Tuberville praised Cunningham afterward, calling her “a true PATRIOT.” Cunningham’s public displays of patriotism have also extended beyond the basketball court: that month, she joined patrons at an Indiana bar in singing Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.”
Connecticut Sun rookie Raegan Beers provided another example during a July game. The Daily Wire reported that Beers stayed on the floor for the anthem while her teammates headed toward the locker room. The outlet also documented the New York Liberty’s practice of leaving the court for the anthem and returning afterward.
Watch the Finals teams leave the court before the anthem here:
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— OutKick (@Outkick) October 17, 2026
Cunningham has faced political labeling and criticism over her publicly expressed views, including her opposition to male participation in women’s sports. Discussing the “MAGA Barbie” label in an interview with ESPN’s Hallie Grossman, she described herself as politically in the middle. “I agree with things on both sides, disagree with things on both sides,” Cunningham said, adding, “But people love to assume.”
Earlier this year, Cunningham also shared conservative commentator Danielle D’Souza Gill’s praise for her tribute to American service members. Gill’s post quoted Cunningham’s message: “Home of the free because of the brave … Thank you to all those who fought and are still fighting.” Cunningham subsequently reposted Gill’s message to her Instagram story, according to The Comeback’s Dave Kelsey.
Following Saturday’s Finals departure, Austin took her criticism directly to the teams in an October 18th post on X. She also criticized the league’s leadership in a separate message about attention repeatedly shifting away from basketball. Addressing the anthem incident, Austin wrote: “Walking out during the national anthem is disgraceful. If you hate this country so much, you’re free to leave.”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video.