NBA stays silent on WNBA Finals teams skipping the national anthem before Games 1 and 2

The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries left the court during the national anthem before the first two games of the WNBA Finals, despite a league rule calling for players and staff to stand and line up. The NBA, WNBA and both teams had not responded to questions about the absences by the stated deadline, leaving enforcement and any consequences unclear.

The WNBA’s 2026 rulebook says players, coaches and trainers should be present during the anthem. Questions to NBA communications chief Mike Bass covered the NBA’s oversight role, possible discipline, exemptions and whether the teams would be told to attend Game 3. Both teams returned within seconds of the anthem ending; Bass had issued a 2021 NBA statement saying teams must play the anthem, though that statement addressed playing it rather than being on court.