The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries have drawn criticism for staying off the court during the national anthem throughout the WNBA Finals. Now, Dan Dakich has joined the debate, questioning the teams’ decision and challenging their players and coaches to explain why they follow the practice.

Dan Dakich Calls Out Dream and Valkyries Over WNBA Finals National Anthem Absences

Dakich addressed the controversy on his podcast after playing a clip of Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham discussing her personal views on the national anthem. She said she takes pride in being an American and supports veterans and those currently serving in the military.

Dakich then questioned why teams would leave the court before the performance without publicly explaining their reasons.

“This isn’t that hard. For years and years and years, men, women, athletes, coaches have stood for the national anthem,” the former Indiana coach said. He explained that when he coached, his team would adjust its warm-up schedule if the anthem was due to be played rather than deliberately leaving the court for the performance.

Dakich specifically called out Golden State coach Natalie Nakase and challenged the teams to be clear about their intentions.

“Anybody like the woman that coaches the Valkyries… you’re standing right there, you’re in protest,” he said. “So just do this: say you’re protesting. Say what you’re protesting about.”

The podcast’s official X account shared the clip with the caption, “If you’re going to skip the anthem, at least have the guts to explain why.”

Both teams have stayed off the court during the national anthem before each game of the Finals, leaving shortly before the performance and returning after it ended.

However, the practice predates the championship series. Golden State has followed the routine since joining the league in 2025, while Atlanta has also done so for several years.

Ahead of Game 4, Nakase and Valkyries forward Gabby Williams addressed the issue. The 46-year-old coach described the absence as part of the Valkyries’ pregame routine. She said she was with her staff, focusing on plays during the anthem, but did not know who had originally established the practice.

Williams simply responded “no,” when asked whether the absence was a protest. She explained that staying off the court had been a routine for around seven years.

This suggests the practice was not necessarily introduced as a protest, although she did not explain how it began.

There is, however, a history of anthem-related protests in the WNBA. In 2020, players from the Seattle Storm and New York Liberty left the court before the national anthem as part of demonstrations against racial injustice. They dedicated the season to Breonna Taylor.

That same year, Atlanta included a WNBA players’ union statement in its game notes. It said the anthem did not represent freedom, justice, and liberty for all Americans and that players would continue to protest in different ways.

The league’s rulebook states that players, coaches, and trainers should stand in a dignified posture during the anthem. However, the WNBA suspended its anthem protocols in 2017, meaning teams and players have not been required to follow that procedure.

With the Dream and Valkyries set to meet in a winner-take-all Game 7 on Saturday, attention will once again be on whether both teams follow the same pregame routine.