Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries skip national anthem again in Game 7

The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries left the court during the playing of the national anthem before Game 7 of the WNBA Finals at Chase Center in San Francisco on Saturday night. Fox News reported that both teams stayed off the floor before the deciding game, completing a series-long pattern during all seven games of the finals. [1]

The series reached a deciding seventh contest for the first time in WNBA history after Atlanta won Game 6 by a score of 80-69, according to CBS Sports and the New York Post. Atlanta leveled the series at 3-3 behind combined scoring from Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard, as well as 15 points and 14 rebounds from Angel Reese. [2][3][5]

Fox News reported that the anthem before Saturday's game was performed by San Francisco's Glide Ensemble. Both franchises were competing for their first WNBA championship, as noted by the New York Post and The Guardian. [1][5][6]

The pregame routine continued to prompt questions and public criticism throughout the series, Fox News reported. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase previously described leaving the floor during the anthem as a standard part of her team's pregame routine, while league officials did not issue public statements regarding rule requirements. [1][16][17]