WNBA star Sophie Cunningham is speaking out and blasting the teams that refused to take the court and stand for the national anthem during the WNBA Finals.
Both the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream skipped the National Anthem at the finals this month, stirring controversy and a backlash. The teams retreated to their respective locker rooms and refused to take the court and stand for the anthem.
Speaking to podcaster Theo Von, Cunningham noted that she is not a fan of the situation and told Von that she would “show support” for the anthem.
“This has been happening throughout the whole season. This isn’t like anything new; people are getting mad about it now, but it’s happened the whole season. I don’t know. I just feel like personally I have a lot — I am grateful, and I support the people who serve,” Cunningham said.
“We have family members who have served, and they’re over there doing that, which is unimaginable for us to out here living our dreams and having the freedoms that we live. 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; I’m going to give them love,” she continued.
“That’s where I stand. That doesn’t mean that’s where everyone stands, and if it’s right, wrong, whatever. I take a lot of pride in where I come from and I’m proud to be an American citizen,” she said.
Neither team has made any official statement about skipping the anthem during the finals, but back in 2020 the Dream added a statement about the anthem to their 2020 game notes.
The Dream reiterated the WNBPA’s statement against the national anthem which read, “We are standing united across the league during opening weekend to make a statement about how the anthem does not represent freedom, justice and liberty for all Americans. We will continue to protest in varius [sic] forms.”
Vice President JD Vance blasted the teams for refusing to take the court for the anthem calling their actions “disgraceful.”
“I think that you should not express some criticism of a public policy of a given politician by disrespecting the country writ large. I mean, those women who play for the WNBA, think of the public safety, think of the incredible wealth and privilege, the amazing jobs that they have. They have a lot to be grateful to the United States for, and I think that if they had a bit more of a spirit of gratitude, they’d be happier people, and they wouldn’t offend so many people as well,” Vance told host Raymond Arroyo on Arroyo Grande.
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