SAN FRANCISCO – The WNBA Finals went the full seven games.
asserted
Finals → go → games
And the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries stayed off the court for the national anthem before every one of them.
asserted
Dream → stay → them
Both teams left the floor before Saturday night’s deciding game at Chase Center, completing a series-long pattern that continued despite criticism and repeated questions about why their pregame routines take them off the court during the performance.
asserted
routines → leave → performance
Saturday’s anthem was performed by San Francisco’s Glide Ensemble.
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anthem → perform → Ensemble
The choir’s website describes its music as "steeped in protest and visions of a more just and loving world" and says it spreads a message of "diversity, acceptance and love."
asserted
it → describe → diversity
Not even a radically left-wing church choir could get the players to stand on the court for two minutes during the anthem.
uncertain
players → get → anthem
The league’s first Game 7 came after Atlanta’s 80–69 victory Thursday evened the series at 3–3.
asserted
victory → come → 3–3
Saturday’s winner will claim its franchise’s first WNBA championship.
uncertain
winner → claim → championship
Two weeks after OutKick first asked why the teams were leaving the floor for the anthem, the WNBA, NBA and both teams’ front offices still have not answered our questions.
asserted
WNBA → ask → questions
Players and coaches have pointed to their pregame routines.
asserted
Players → point → routines
Seven games, same pregame routine
The performers and venues changed.
asserted
performers → change → ?
The teams’ absence from the court did not.
asserted
absence → do → court
Alanis Morissette sang before Game 2 at Chase Center.
asserted
Morissette → sing → Center
On Thursday in Atlanta, 10-year-old Heiress Harris, the daughter of rapper T.I., performed before Game 6.
asserted
Harris → perform → Game
When OutKick finally had an opportunity to question players and coaches directly at media availability in Atlanta on Oct. 23, Golden State coach Natalie Nakase said the practice was part of pregame.
asserted
practice → have → pregame
"We’re two years in," Nakase said.
asserted
Nakase → ’re → ?
Asked who established the routine and why, Nakase said, "I really don’t know."
asserted
I → ask → routine
"I understand your question," she added.
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she → understand → question
"I’m not trying to, you know, not answer your question.
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you → try → question
It’s just part of our pregame."
asserted
It → ’ → pregame
OutKick followed up: "What do you do during those 90 seconds that you’re off the court?"
asserted
you → follow → court
"I’m with my staff, so I’m focused on my plays," Nakase said.
asserted
Nakase → ’m → plays
Golden State’s public relations staff then moved to the next reporter.
asserted
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.
asserted
preparations → get → anthem
Valkyries forward Gabby Williams denied that Golden State’s absence was a protest.
asserted
absence → deny → ?
"No," Williams said.
asserted
Williams → say → ?
Asked why the team was off the court, she responded: "That’s been the routine for like, seven years now."
asserted
That → ask → years
A Valkyries public relations representative then said, "Next question."
asserted
representative → say → ?
Williams previously played for Chicago and Seattle, but did not explain whether each team followed the same routine.
asserted
team → play → routine
Atlanta coach Karl Smesko offered less detail when asked why his team left the court and whose decision it was.
asserted
it → offer → court
"We’re just kind of focused on the Finals," Smesko said.
asserted
Smesko → focus → Finals
Asked whether he had any further comment about the anthem and his team’s absences, he said, "No."
asserted
he → ask → anthem
Howard defended Team USA commitment as fans offered different views
Dream guard Rhyne Howard was asked about calls to exclude players from Team USA over their anthem conduct during the WNBA season.
asserted
Howard → defend → season
"I don’t think I’ve been on the floor for the national anthem for any of my tenure in Atlanta, so if that’s what people are gonna look to nitpick for then so be it
asserted
it → think → what
," Howard said.
asserted
Howard → say → ?
"But as far as competing for your team, when I go put on USA jersey I’m out for the national anthem every time, there’s no doubt about it.
asserted
I → compete → it
"
"Yes, I love the country that I play for and I love what we have here," she added.
asserted
she → love → what
When OutKick asked why she was not on the court for the anthem with the Dream, Howard and an Atlanta public relations representative both responded, "Next question."
asserted
Howard → ask → question
Fans who spoke with OutKick outside State Farm Arena before Game 6 disagreed about whether the players should be on the floor.
asserted
players → speak → floor
Renard Hayes, the father of Golden State guard Tiffany Hayes, pointed to his own military service while defending the players’ choice.
asserted
Hayes → point → choice
…and 20 more, not listed.
The Aporia
