WNBA fans are divided as the Valkyries and Dream stay off the court for the national anthem for a fifth straight game, drawing criticism and support. Michael Macasero Tue, October 27, 2026 at 7:58 AM UTC · 3 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the fifth straight game, the Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream stayed off the court for the national anthem before Monday's Game 5 of the WNBA Finals. Both teams returned shortly after it ended at Chase Center in San Francisco.
President Donald Trump criticized the teams' absences at a Thursday rally in Iowa, while Vice President JD Vance called the turn of events "disgraceful" during a Wednesday interview.
But as the controversy rumbled on, footage from Monday's game drew mixed reactions from basketball fans.
OutKick posted a video of the teams walking back onto the floor. "Right on cue. The anthem ends and suddenly the Valkyries and Dream remember where the court is," the account wrote .
Basketball analyst and influencer Hero Of The Day criticized the teams' actions.
"DISGUSTING……. For the fifth straight game, players from both teams run off the court instead of paying respect to our National Anthem. That's a lot of empty seats 10 minutes before tip-off of a WNBA Finals game. People are tired of these women disrespecting our country."
One fan tagged the WNBA, tweeting , "A lot of empty seats. Wonder why."
Valkyries forward Gabby Williams addressed the issue at an Oct. 23 media session in Atlanta. "That's been the routine for like, seven years now," she said .
Many WNBA teams have followed a similar pregame practice for at least six seasons, though the reasons have varied. Some have used it to draw attention to social justice causes, while others have continued preparing for games.
Not everyone who watched Monday's footage objected.
Influencer Matt posted , "(Trigger warning for conservatives.) Here's video of the Dream and Valkyries returning to the court after the National Anthem, which is 1000% just fine!"
Another fan replied to Matt, "I love it!!!"
Dream guard Rhyne Howard also addressed the issue Friday when asked about calls to exclude players from Team USA if they don't stand for the anthem during WNBA games.
"I don't think I've been on the floor for the national anthem for any of my tenure in Atlanta, so if that's what people are gonna look to nitpick for then so be it," the four-time All-Star said .
One fan replying to Hero Of The Day reacted , "Literally running… like it's poison gas. What an embarrassment."
Another response to the same post read , "A waste of precious time you can't get back. Don't bother with their disrespect. Turn it off and never look back. They don't deserve you watching."
The WNBA's 2026 rulebook still includes a provision requiring players, coaches and trainers to stand during the anthem, although it's unclear whether it applies to entire teams or only those on the court. The league suspended its anthem protocols in a memo to teams late in the 2017 season.
Golden State, meanwhile, won Monday's game 64-55 and leads the best-of-seven series 3-2. The crucial Game 6 is slated for Thursday at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network .
Source: Sports
0 Comments