Dream and Valkyries Leave Court During Finals Anthem

The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries left the court during the national anthem before Game 1 of the 2026 WNBA Finals, then returned shortly after it ended. The teams’ reasons for being absent have not been established in the supplied reporting. The brief departure took place at San Francisco’s Chase Center on October 17. Both teams had been on the court warming up before leaving for the performance of The Star-Spangled Banner, which lasted about two minutes. They returned to the floor soon after it concluded, according to an attending reporter whose observation was repeated in reports about the incident. Neither the Dream, the Valkyries nor the WNBA had provided an explanation by the time the reports were published. The timing prompted questions about whether the absence reflected pregame routines or a deliberate statement, but the available information does not establish either team’s intent. There was also no confirmed indication that the teams coordinated their departure as a protest. The incident drew criticism online and from sports broadcaster Emily Austin. Austin called the teams’ absence disrespectful and criticized the WNBA’s leadership, saying the league’s...