WNBA Finals Anthem Absence Continues in Game 6 as Debate Follows Series to Game 7

For the sixth straight game of the WNBA Finals, neither team was on the floor for “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Before Thursday’s Game 6 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, both the Atlanta Dream and the Golden State Valkyries left the court just before the anthem began, OutKick reported, continuing a pattern that has run through the entire series.

This time the anthem was sung by Heiress Harris, the 10-year-old daughter of rapper T.I., which helped put the moment back in the spotlight on a day the series itself got bigger. The Dream won Game 6, 80-69, tying the series 3-3 and forcing a winner-take-all Game 7 on Saturday in San Francisco.

What happened before Game 6?

According to OutKick, both teams walked off the floor right before Harris started singing and returned after the anthem ended, the same routine they have followed in every game of these Finals.

The game itself tipped off at 12:30 p.m. ET. OutKick reported it had been moved from an 8 p.m. start to make room for an Atlanta Hawks NBA game at the same arena later that day.

Why are the Dream and Valkyries off the court for the anthem?

Neither team has given a detailed explanation. What has been said publicly, per OutKick and The Comeback:

• Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase called it “part of our pregame” and said, “We’re two years in.” Asked who started the routine and why, she said, “I really don’t know.”
• Valkyries forward Gabby Williams said the absence is not a protest and called it “the routine for like, seven years now.”
• Dream coach Karl Smesko declined to explain, saying, “We’re just kind of focused on the Finals.”
• Dream guard Rhyne Howard said that when she plays for Team USA, “I’m out for the national anthem every time.”

OutKick said the WNBA, the NBA and both teams’ front offices had not answered its emailed questions about the absences.

Are the teams breaking WNBA rules?

Not as currently enforced, based on the reporting. The 2026 WNBA rulebook still says players, coaches and trainers should “stand and line up in a dignified posture” during the anthem. But the Associated Press has reported that the league suspended its anthem protocols in 2017, OutKick and The Comeback noted. No discipline has been announced.

The anthem walkout debate

The absences have drawn sharp criticism, especially online. The Comeback reported that President Donald Trump weighed in, asking, “They leave the court when the national anthems play. What’s that all about?” and suggesting a boycott of the league.

Opinions outside the arena in Atlanta were mixed. OutKick spoke with fans before Game 6:

• One Dream fan said everyone should stand for the anthem.
• A Valkyries fan said he respected the players’ beliefs but thought “they should be out there.”
• Another Dream fan said, “They’ve been doing it for years. And that’s their choice.”

One of the more notable voices was Renard Hayes, father of Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes and a military veteran. “This is America, by the way, and I’ve served this country, so they can choose what they want,” he told OutKick, adding, “it’s not a disrespect of the flag.”

Earlier this week, Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham addressed the topic on Theo Von’s podcast. She said the practice “has been happening throughout the whole season,” and that she personally supports veterans and is “proud to be an American citizen,” while adding, “That doesn’t mean that’s where everyone stands.”

What happened in Game 6?

On the court, Atlanta came out fast. According to the Valkyries’ game recap, the Dream went on a 13-0 first-quarter run, made six 3-pointers in the opening quarter, led by as many as 25 and took a 46-26 lead into halftime. Golden State cut the gap to eight in the fourth quarter but got no closer.

What’s next?

Game 7 is set for Saturday, Oct. 31, at 5 p.m. at Chase Center, with coverage on USA, Peacock and CNBC, per the Valkyries. The team says it will be the first Game 7 in WNBA Finals history, and either side will win its first championship.

That means one more pregame anthem in front of the biggest audience of the series. Nothing reported so far suggests either team plans to change its routine, and the league has not said whether it will step in.

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