WNBA Finals teams end season with one final national anthem snub as Dream, Valkyries leave court

November 1, 2026

The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries departed the court during the national anthem for all seven games of the WNBA Finals, a pattern that persisted despite public scrutiny and unanswered inquiries from the league and team front offices. The series concluded with a deciding contest at Chase Center, where the Glide Ensemble performed the anthem, following Atlanta's 80-69 win in Game 6 that had tied the championship race at three games apiece.

Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase attributed the absence to established pregame preparation, stating she was reviewing plays with her staff during the performance, while forward Gabby Williams denied the action was a protest and cited a long-standing routine. Neither the players nor the coaches provided specific reasons for why these preparations could not occur before or after the anthem, and the league has not issued a response to questions regarding the practice.