Photo via Yahoo Sports

‘Focused on the finals’: WNBA players ignore President Trump’s national anthem warning

During a political rally in Iowa last week, Donald Trump criticized the WNBA Finals for pregame routines involving teams stepping off the court before the national anthem, suggesting viewers boycott the league entirely. Despite the public backlash and commentary from outside voices, athletes and coaches from both the Atlanta Dream and the Golden State Valkyries have declined to engage with the controversy, noting that leaving the floor prior to the song has been standard practice across multiple seasons.

Ahead of upcoming championship matchups, players like Allisha Gray and Kiah Stokes emphasized that they are shielding themselves from social media noise and remaining unified with their teammates. Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase and forward Gabby Williams further clarified that the routine is simply part of their regular pregame preparation rather than a targeted political statement, while league headquarters has chosen to maintain its silence on the matter.

Up nextWNBA· 3h ago

Sophie Cunningham attending Game 5 of 2026 WNBA Finals with Caitlin Clark rumour explained