President Trump used a rally in Iowa on Thursday to urge Americans to stop watching the WNBA, saying its players leave the court before the national anthem is played.
The remarks came during the WNBA Finals, where the Atlanta Dream and the Golden State Valkyries are both seeking a first championship. Players, according to ESPN, say they are ignoring the comments and focusing on the games.
The anthem routine the president described is not new, and the notes below on the league's rules show how it came about. This story relies on published reports; the primary sources were not available for review.
What the President Said in Iowa
Mr. Trump raised the subject at the rally. "By the way, what's going on with the women's NBA? What's that all about?" he said, according to ESPN.
He then drew a comparison to pro football. "The NFL did that for a while and they stopped because people stopped watching the games," he said, as Newsmax reported. That claim about the NFL is the president's own assertion and was not independently checked for this story.
ESPN also reported that Mr. Trump attacked the WNBA and LeBron James on social media over their conduct during the anthem and called on fans not to watch the WNBA. This story's author has not seen those posts, so their exact wording and dates are unconfirmed. No transcript or video of the Iowa remarks was reviewed, and the two outlets' renderings of his words differ slightly.
A Pregame Routine Years in the Making
Many WNBA teams have left the court before the anthem over at least six seasons, according to Newsmax, with 10 minutes left in pregame warmups. ESPN says the anthem is played 10 minutes before the end of warmups, and it dates the practice to at least the 2020 season, which was played entirely in Florida during the pandemic.
The WNBA rulebook says players, coaches and trainers are to stand in a "dignified posture" for the anthem. Newsmax reported that late in the 2017 season, the league suspended those protocols by memo, so players did not have to follow them.
Atlanta has left the court before the anthem for several years, Newsmax reported. The Valkyries say they have kept the same routine of going to the locker room for the anthem since joining the league "last year," per Newsmax. A few teams, including Indiana and Minnesota, stayed on the court during the season.
Newsmax reported that the Dream and Valkyries have left the court before the anthem during these Finals. No official statement from the WNBA, either team or the White House had been found as of this writing.
The Players Focus on the Games
Atlanta guard Allisha Gray spoke Friday at the Dream's practice ahead of Saturday's Game 4. "I'm focused on the Finals," she said, according to ESPN.
Valkyries forward Kiah Stokes also commented. "Staying together. That's been one of our keys all season," she said, per ESPN. The report says several other Atlanta and Golden State players said similar things.
The Series at Stake
Golden State, the No. 2 seed, and Atlanta, the No. 4 seed, are playing a best-of-seven series in a 2-2-1-1-1 format, according to ESPN's schedule page. Both are seeking a first title. The current series score could not be confirmed for this story.
Next up is Game 5 in Golden State, which also hosts Game 7 if the series goes the distance. Any statement from the league, the teams or the White House, and any change to the teams' pregame routines, would be the next developments to watch.
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