The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries left the court for the national anthem before the first two games of the WNBA Finals, despite a provision in the league’s own rulebook calling for players to stand and line up during the performance.
Now the NBA has joined the WNBA and both teams in leaving OutKick’s questions about those absences unanswered.
DREAM, VALKYRIES SKIP NATIONAL ANTHEM IN WNBA FINALS GAME 2 DESPITE RULEBOOK REQUIREMENT
OutKick contacted NBA Executive Vice President and Chief Communications Officer Mike Bass on Tuesday.
The inquiry asked about the NBA’s role in the matter, possible discipline and whether the teams would be instructed to be present for the anthem before Wednesday’s Game 3.
The NBA did not respond by the deadline. The WNBA and both teams also have not answered OutKick’s repeated inquiries.
The WNBA’s 2026 official rulebook calls for players, coaches and trainers to stand and line up along the sidelines or foul line during the national anthem.
OutKick asked Bass whether the NBA has a role in overseeing or enforcing that provision, or whether enforcement is solely the WNBA’s responsibility.
We also asked whether NBA Commissioner Adam Silver or anyone at the NBA league office had discussed the absences with WNBA leadership and, if so, what guidance had been provided.
WNBA SILENT AS FINALS TEAMS SKIP NATIONAL ANTHEM DESPITE RULE REQUIRING PLAYERS TO STAND IN LINE
Additional questions covered whether either team had received an exemption, whether discipline was planned or under consideration, and whether the teams would be instructed to be on the court for Game 3.
The NBA was given until the end of Tuesday to respond.
Bass’s responsibilities span both leagues. His 2026 Sports PR Summit biography says he oversees public relations, including basketball and business communications, for the NBA and WNBA, among other leagues.
The NBA’s involvement in the WNBA dates to its creation: the NBA Board of Governors approved the women’s league in 1996.
In February 2021, Bass issued an official NBA statement reiterating the league’s requirement that teams play the national anthem.
The statement said “all teams will play the national anthem in keeping with longstanding league policy.”
That statement addressed playing the anthem. OutKick’s current questions concern whether WNBA teams must be on the court during the performance.
Before Saturday’s WNBA Finals opener and Monday’s Game 2, both teams left the floor ahead of the anthem and returned within seconds of the performance ending.
OutKick contacted the WNBA, Dream and Valkyries after Game 1 and followed up with all three Sunday, asking about the absences, the league’s anthem requirements and plans for Game 2.
After both teams were absent again Monday, OutKick followed up with all three Tuesday, seeking explanations and asking about plans for Game 3.
OutKick attended five pregame and postgame press conferences Saturday, plus both coaches’ pregame and postgame press conferences Monday. OutKick was not called on to ask a question at any of the nine sessions.
The WNBA has a written provision calling for players to be on the floor for the anthem, but its Finals teams have twice been absent.
Asked about it, the NBA has been just as quiet as the WNBA.
