10/23/2026 04:44:00
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10/23 16:43 CDT Players in WNBA Finals tuning out President Trump, other
outside noise, say their focus on the games
Players in WNBA Finals tuning out President Trump, other outside noise, say
their focus on the games
By DOUG FEINBERG
AP Basketball Writer
ATLANTA (AP) --- Players in the WNBA Finals say they are concentrating on
preparing for the upcoming game and not President Donald Trump's criticism of
them and others in the league for leaving the court prior to the national
anthem being played.
"I'm focused on the finals," Atlanta guard Allisha Gray said Friday at the
Dream's practice ahead of Saturday's Game 4. "I am not really on social media
and listening to what people are saying."
Basketball has recently been a focus of the president.
Trump spoke at a rally on Thursday in Iowa and criticized WNBA players for
leaving the court before the national anthem is played, and called for a
boycott of the league. He had lashed out on social media at the WNBA, along
with NBA icon LeBron James for his actions during the anthem, but also called
for fans to not watch the WNBA.
Several of Gray's Atlanta teammates and Golden State players shared her
sentiments, saying they were tuning out anything that didn't have to do with
game preparations.
"For me it's staying off social media. It's just going inward with our
teammates and staff," Valkyries forward Kiah Stokes said. "Staying together.
That's been one of our keys all season."
Trump mentioned at the Iowa rally that WNBA players have been leaving the court
before the national anthem is played. Leaving the court before the anthem is
not a recent development in the WNBA. It has been part of many teams' pregame
routine for years, dating back to at least when the league played the entire
2020 season in Florida because of the coronavirus pandemic.
"By the way, what's going on with the women's NBA? What's that all about?" the
president said at the rally. "You know, they'll destroy themselves before they
get started, because they just started to do good."
Trump went on to say that fans should stop viewing WNBA games because the
players don't stay for the anthem. which is played 10 minutes before the end of
pregame warmups. Teams have left the court to raise awareness for social
justice issues or simply to continue to prepare for the game.
"You know the NFL did that for a while and they stopped because people stopped
watching the games," Trump said. "I think you should do the same thing with
women's basketball."
The WNBA had no comment on Trump's speech.
As for James, a four-time Olympic medalist, the president said the 76ers
forward disrespected the United States after he appeared to continue his
warmups while the national anthem was performed before Philadelphia's season
opener on Tuesday.
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See AP's full WNBA coverage here
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