"The NFL did that for a while" – Donald Trump urges fans to boycott WNBA over anthem walkouts

The playing of the “Star Spangled Banner” has been a customary part of sporting events in the United States, with competing teams usually standing in line on their respective ends of the court and standing still as a sign of respect.​ Over the first three games of the WNBA Finals between the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream, however, players from both teams have walked off the court before the United States National Anthem is played and returned moments later.

Unsurprisingly, this has been deemed a sign of protest and disrespect.

After the WNBA’s recent issues with the perceived mistreatment of one of their biggest stars and people like Enes Kanter Freedom putting the league on blast for its stance on who can and can’t become WNBA players, the last thing the league needed was another controversy.

Well, unfortunately, that’s exactly what this National Anthem issue is. And it’s gotten the attention of US President Donald Trump.

In a recent speech, President Trump addressed the WNBA’s anthem walkouts the way a stand-up comedian would start a bit.

“What’s going on with the WNBA? What’s that all about?” Trump asked. “You know, they’ll destroy themselves before they get started, because they just started to do good…It’s a big deal going on, they leave the court when the National Anthem’s playing. What’s that all about?”

Trump then went on to reference the National Football League (NFL), and when its players used to kneel during the National Anthem as a clear sign of protest against racial inequality and systemic racism.

“You know the NFL did that for a while, they stopped because people stopped watching the games,” Trump said, before saying that people should stop watching the WNBA as well. “So, I think you should do the same with women’s basketball unless they [fix it].”

Related: “Why is he permitted to behave like this?” – Fans blast LeBron James for disrespecting national anthem

As it turns out, the WNBA actually doesn’t require the players and coaches to be on the court during the National Anthem. So, while the NFL players were intentionally protesting something, the WNBA players not being on the court while the anthem is being played is simply part of their pregame routines.

Whether it was disrespect or protest by the WNBA players, their absence from the floor has definitely rubbed a certain sector of the population the wrong way, and that’s just something that a league that is trying to fight for equality can’t afford.

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