Heiress Harris, the 10-year-old daughter of rapper T.I., sang the national anthem before Thursday's Game 6 of the WNBA Finals at State Farm Arena.
asserted
Harris → sing → Arena
Both the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries left the floor just before the young Black singer began "The Star-Spangled Banner," marking their sixth straight absence for the anthem in this series.
asserted
singer → leave → series
OutKick interviewed fans outside State Farm Arena prior to Game 6.
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OutKick → interview → Game
They offered different views on the practice, with some wanting players on the floor and others defending their choice to leave.
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others → offer → choice
"This is America, by the way, and I’ve served this country, so they can choose what they want," Renard Hayes told OutKick.
asserted
Hayes → serve → OutKick
Asked whether, as a veteran, he had an issue with the absences, he said he did not.
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he → ask → absences
"I don’t have an issue with it because it’s not a disrespect of the flag," he said.
asserted
he → have → flag
Hayes’ father, who said he lives in Florida, had criticized the game’s 12:30 p.m. start, blaming the league and Atlanta organization for the scheduling situation.
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he → say → situation
On the anthem, however, he defended the players’ freedom to decide.
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he → defend → freedom
The game was moved from its originally scheduled 8 p.m. start to accommodate a doubleheader with the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena.
asserted
game → move → Arena
Golden State entered Thursday leading the best-of-seven series 3–2 after winning Monday’s Game 5, 64–55, with a chance to clinch its first championship.
asserted
State → enter → championship
Some fans want players on the court, while others defend their choice
One Dream fan told OutKick she believed everyone should stand for the national anthem.
A male Valkyries fan said he respected the players’ opinions and beliefs but wanted them on the floor.
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them → want → floor
"I do think they should be out there," he said.
asserted
he → think → ?
Other fans were less troubled by the absences.
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fans → trouble → absences
"They’ve been doing it for years," another Dream fan said.
asserted
fan → do → years
"And that’s their choice.
asserted
that → ’ → ?
A woman who said she represents Valkyries center Kiah Stokes offered a similar view.
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she → say → view
"I think it’s their decision," the representative said.
asserted
representative → think → ?
For one man attending with a female Dream fan, the question was more complicated. Asked whether he considered the absences disrespectful, he said, "Me personally, maybe a little bit."
asserted
he → attend → fan
"But it doesn’t concern me that much either," he added.
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he → concern → me
Another Dream fan attending with his family said he respected the anthem and the players’ ability to decide whether to participate.
asserted
he → attend → anthem
"But we live in a country where you have a choice, so I gotta respect it," he said.
asserted
he → live → it
Players and coaches say skipping anthem is a pregame routine
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skipping → say → anthem
During media availability in Atlanta on Oct. 23, Golden State coach Natalie Nakase described the absences as part of the team’s pregame routine.
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Nakase → describe → routine
Those interviews were OutKick’s first opportunity to ask the anthem questions directly after attending all 13 formal press conferences during the first three games without being called on.
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interviews → ask → games
"We’re two years in," Nakase said.
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Nakase → ’re → ?
Asked who established the routine and why, she said, "I really don’t know."
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I → ask → routine
OutKick followed up: "What do you do during those 90 seconds that you’re off the court?"
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you → follow → court
"I’m with my staff, so I’m focused on my plays," Nakase said.
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Nakase → ’m → plays
Golden State’s public relations staff then moved to the next reporter.
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staff → move → reporter
OutKick did not get an opportunity to ask why those preparations needed to happen during the anthem rather than before or afterward.
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preparations → get → anthem
Valkyries forward Gabby Williams denied that the team’s absence was a protest.
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absence → deny → ?
"No," she said.
asserted
she → say → ?
Asked why the team was off the floor, Williams responded: "That’s been the routine for like, seven years now."
asserted
That → ask → years
An Atlanta public relations representative moved to the next question after Dream coach Karl Smesko declined to explain his team’s absences.
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Smesko → move → absences
"We’re just kind of focused on the Finals," Smesko said.
asserted
Smesko → say → Finals
Asked whether he had any further comment about the anthem and his team’s absences, he said, "No."
asserted
he → ask → anthem
Dream guard Rhyne Howard was asked about calls to exclude players from Team USA over their anthem conduct during the WNBA season.
asserted
Howard → ask → season
Howard said she did not think she had been on the court for the anthem at any point during her tenure in Atlanta.
asserted
she → say → Atlanta
She also defended her commitment to representing the United States internationally.
asserted
She → defend → States
…and 17 more, not listed.
The Aporia
