WNBA finals anthem walkout debate
The gist
President Donald Trump called for a WNBA boycott over teams leaving the court before the anthem.
The walkouts are a years-old routine, but the boycott push now shadows the Finals.
How it unfolded
- 2017The WNBA suspended enforcement of its anthem protocols after players and coaches sought to show solidarity with victims of violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, following a white nationalist rally.
- 2020Teams left the court before the anthem during the season the WNBA dedicated to Breonna Taylor, who was killed in her Louisville, Kentucky, home.
- 2025Golden State joined the WNBA and has followed its pre-anthem routine since then.