The WNBA rulebook lays out expectations for players during the national anthem… only, the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries don’t seem to care about it. Instead, both teams chose to leave the court during the ceremony before two straight Finals games. Their first walkout on Saturday sparked considerable backlash, yet the controversy did little to change their course. Both teams repeated the move ahead of Game 2 at Chase Center on Monday, raising fresh questions about what comes next.

As the singer, Alanis Morissette, began performing the national anthem before Monday’s matchup, players from both teams were once again seen jogging off the court. They returned only after the performance ended. OutKick called out the repeat incident on X, writing:

“Same league. Same disrespect. The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries skip the anthem AGAIN before Game 2 of the WNBA Finals, then stroll back out when it’s over.”

The back-to-back incidents have drawn scrutiny not only because some view the gesture as disrespectful to the country, but also because the league’s own rules outline what players and team personnel are expected to do during the anthem.

In Section H of the II. BASIC PRINCIPLES portion of the WNBA rulebook, it states that: “Players, coaches, and trainers are to stand and line up in a dignified posture along the sidelines or on the foul line during the playing of the National Anthem.”

However, this rule has not always been implemented. For instance, the league set the rule aside in 2017, giving players the freedom to express solidarity with victims of racially charged violence.

In 2020, teams rallied behind Breonna Taylor, who was killed inside her home in Louisville, Kentucky. They showed their support by leaving the court during the anthem.

But coming back to the Dream and Valkyries, their conduct appears contrary to the written rule. After all, they returned to the court only after the anthem was almost done. The Dream was seen coming from the tunnel first, and just a few seconds later, the Valkyries appeared.

Whether the league considers the walkouts a violation has not been publicly established. The WNBA has yet to announce a disciplinary decision regarding either incident, and the cited rule does not specify penalties for noncompliance.

That said, some reports have highlighted a distinction in the rule. The rule instructs members in the court to stand in a dignified manner. It doesn’t explicitly demand that the players need to be present for the anthem.

However, that still leaves one key question unanswered: why did both teams choose to walk out?

The WNBA has a long history of players using their platform to speak on social and political issues. For example, during the 2020 season, players pushed for racial justice and supported the Black Lives Matter movement, while the Atlanta Dream made headlines when their players backed Raphael Warnock in his Senate campaign against the Dream’s then-co-owner Kelly Loeffler.

The Dream’s history of player activism provides context, but it does not establish the reason behind the walkout. Neither the Dream nor the Valkyries has publicly clarified why their players left the court during the anthem, leaving the motivation behind their actions unconfirmed.

That absence of an explanation has become another part of the controversy.

However, if we look back at the Valkyries‘ previous pre-game routines, they are known for going inside during the national anthem. The Dream has also done something similar for a while.

But following Saturday’s Game 1 incident, OutKick reporter Dan Zaksheske said he and his team had sought answers from the league and both franchises. On X, he wrote that they “asked the league and both teams to explain.” However, “None answered.”

People are beginning to notice the pattern

Repeating an action that has already drawn massive criticism is likely to keep the debate alive as the Finals progress. Some observers may focus on the rulebook and the league’s responsibility to enforce its stated expectations, while others may view the walkout through the broader history of athlete expression in the WNBA.

Yet without an explanation from the teams, their specific intentions remain unclear.

The Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream are scheduled to meet again for Game 3 on Wednesday, October 21, at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

So, after two consecutive anthem walkouts, the next pregame ceremony will draw added attention, with viewers likely watching to see whether the teams repeat the move and whether the league finally responds.