Aug 8, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) warms up before a WNBA game against the Chicago Sky at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Kevin Harrish Thu, October 29, 2026 at 10:15 AM UTC · 3 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries have drawn plenty of criticism for leaving the court during the national anthem throughout the WNBA Finals. Now, one of the league's most outspoken players has offered her take on the controversy.
Appearing on Theo Von's podcast this week, Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham said that teams skipping the anthem is nothing new, but she made it clear that she personally takes "a lot of pride" in where she comes from and will always show her support for veterans.
Both the Dream and the Valkyries have left the floor shortly before the anthem at every game of the Finals, returning to the court once it ends. Neither team nor the league offered an explanation after Game 1, which led to plenty of backlash from conservatives online.
United States President Donald Trump even weighed in on the controversy as he suggested a boycott of the league as a result.
"They leave the court when the national anthems play. What's that all about?" Trump said in a clip shared by Eric Daugherty .
However, it's worth noting that the teams aren't breaking any rules. While the WNBA rulebook outlines anthem protocols, "the protocols were suspended years ago," according to Doug Feinberg of the Associated Press .
Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase also explained that being off the court during the anthem is simply "part of our pregame," and has been since the franchise launched.
When asked about the controversy, Cunningham admitted that she did have thoughts on the situation, but she pointed out that teams leaving the court during the anthem is something that has been going on all season.
"You know who you're talking to. Of course I have thoughts on it. And I think the majority of people know my thoughts. But I will say this has been happening throughout the whole season. This isn't anything new. People are just getting mad about it now, but it's happening the whole season," Cunningham said on This Past Weekend .
Cunningham went on to explain where she personally stands on the issue.
"I just feel like, personally, I have a lot of – I am grateful and I support the people who serve. We have family members who have served, and they're over there doing things that are unimaginable for us to be out here living our dreams, and having the freedoms that we live," she said.
"So anytime that I can shout out our veterans and the people who are currently fighting for us to live in the best country, I'm going to show that support and I'm going to give them love. And so that's where I stand. That doesn't mean that's where everyone stands and it's right, wrong, whatever, but I take a lot of pride of where I come from and I'm proud to be an American citizen," Cunningham added.
Clearly, Cunningham has her own view on the anthem, but she also acknowledged that not everyone around the league feels the same way.
The post 'I'm proud to be an American citizen': Sophie Cunningham reacts to national anthem controversy appeared first on The Comeback: Today's Top Sports Stories & Reactions .
Source: Sports
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