Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham isn’t holding back, openly questioning why WNBA pregame routines are suddenly drawing heavy criticism when they have been happening all season. She discussed the issue on Theo Von’s “This Past Weekend” podcast on October 28, dropping some serious truth bombs about the current firestorm surrounding the Finals teams.
Anthem Backlash Comes Out of Nowhere
The criticism is everywhere right now, and it’s not just from basketball fans. Vice President JD Vance even accused teams of disrespecting the country over this. The focus is squarely on the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries, the two Finals teams whose absence from the court during the national anthem has suddenly blown up. What’s crazy, though, is Cunningham didn’t even name those teams. She just pointed out the wild timing of all this noise. Her own squad, the Indiana Fever, actually stayed on the floor for the anthem this season, just like the Minnesota Lynx. It’s a stark contrast to what’s getting slammed now.
Cunningham Stands Her Ground, History Speaks Volumes
Cunningham got super personal on the podcast, explaining her family’s deep connection to military service. She gives full credit to service members for protecting the freedoms that let her pursue her career, and she makes it clear she wants to acknowledge veterans and those currently serving every chance she gets. As she put it, “That doesn’t mean that’s where everyone stands and if it’s right, wrong, whatever. I take a lot of pride of where I come from, and I’m proud to be an American citizen.” It’s her personal choice, and she owns it.
But here’s the kicker, the real head-scratcher: WNBA teams have been leaving the court before the anthem for *at least six seasons*, according to The Associated Press. Six seasons! Some teams do it to shine a light on social justice issues, others just use that time for game prep. The Valkyries straight up told the AP their locker-room routine has been consistent since their franchise started playing in 2025. Atlanta has also been dipping off the floor before the anthem for several years now.
Yeah, the league’s written rulebook says players, coaches, and trainers should stand along the sidelines or foul line during the anthem. But, the WNBA actually suspended those protocols late in the 2017 season, specifically to let players and coaches show support for victims of the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville. The AP reported that it looks like the league is just letting teams make their own call now, even if who has the final say is still a little fuzzy. The WNBA didn’t even respond to the AP’s request for clarification back on October 20. It feels like everyone’s suddenly got an opinion on something that’s been business as usual for ages.
Finals Forced to a Game 7
All this is happening while the WNBA Finals are going down to the wire! The series will be decided on October 31 in San Francisco. Atlanta just pulled off an insane 80-69 win over Golden State on October 29, tying the series at three games apiece. That win forced the WNBA’s first-ever Finals Game 7, meaning everything is on the line. It’s going to be a wild one.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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