WNBA SILENT AS FINALS TEAMS SKIP NATIONAL ANTHEM DESPITE RULE REQUIRING PLAYERS TO STAND IN LINEJust like in Game 1, the teams left the floor less than one minute before the start of the anthem and returned mere seconds after the singer sang the final note.Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries stayed off the court for the Game 2 national anthem despite the WNBA rulebook requiring players to stand and line up.(NBAE via Getty Images)The repeat absence followed OutKick’s questions to both teams about why they were off the court Saturday and whether they planned to be present for Monday’s anthem.Despite multiple requests to both teams, those questions had gone unanswered when OutKick published a follow-up Monday morning.THE CRAIG CARTON SHOW–UNFILTERED, UNAPOLOGETIC AND UNMISSABLE.
DOWNLOAD HIS DAILY PODCAST NOW!The WNBA’s 2026 official rulebook says players, coaches and trainers are to "stand and line up in a dignified posture" along the sidelines or on the foul line during the national anthem.OutKick asked the league about its anthem requirements, whether any discipline was planned or under consideration over Game 1, and whether it had instructed or planned to instruct either team to be on the court for Game 2.The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries skipped the national anthem again before WNBA Finals Game 2 despite the league's own rulebook requirement.(NBAE via Getty Images)We also asked the league to confirm whether both teams would be present Monday.The WNBA has not responded to multiple requests for comment.Before Saturday’s opener, both teams were warming up on the court before leaving just ahead of the anthem.
They returned within seconds of the performance ending.DREAM, VALKYRIES LEAVE COURT DURING NATIONAL ANTHEM, RETURN SECONDS LATER BEFORE WNBA FINALSOutKick contacted the league, Dream and Valkyries that afternoon, then followed up with all three Sunday.The team inquiries also asked whether the WNBA had communicated any instructions or e...