SAN FRANCISCO – The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries both left the court before the national anthem ahead of Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on Saturday at Chase Center.
And they were back within seconds of it ending.
Both teams were on the floor beforehand, warming up for the game, then disappeared for roughly the two minutes it took to perform the “Star-Spangled Banner.” Almost immediately after the singer concluded, both teams jogged back onto the floor.
Guess that’s just part of the pregame routine.
In its Aug. 2, 2020, game notes, Atlanta included messaging from the WNBA players’ union explaining anthem protests. The statement said “the anthem does not represent freedom, justice and liberty for all Americans” and indicated that protests would continue in different forms.
That statement was made six years ago, during the 2020 WNBA season. The reasons for Atlanta’s and Golden State’s absences Saturday were not immediately clear.
But the timing was. If this was about pregame preparation, what required both teams to be off the floor for those two minutes?
And watching an Angel Reese team miss the anthem brought back a familiar scene.
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I was in Albany, New York, for LSU’s Elite Eight game against Iowa in 2024. Caitlin Clark and her Hawkeyes teammates stood together, holding hands during the national anthem. Reese and the Tigers were off the floor.
After the game, I asked LSU coach Kim Mulkey whether that was a conscious decision on her part.
“Honestly, I don’t even know when the anthem was played,” Mulkey told me.
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She explained that LSU’s routine involved leaving the court at the 12-minute mark before tipoff to handle its pregame preparations. She said the absence was not intentional.
“I’m sorry, listen, that’s nothing intentionally done,” Mulkey said.
That was Mulkey’s explanation in 2024. My question then, and the one that comes to mind again now, is why being present for the anthem can’t be part of the routine.
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Taking a couple of minutes to show some appreciation for the country where you’re playing for a championship is a pretty reasonable expectation.
And if your pregame routine requires leaving the court for the national anthem, it’s time for a new routine.
