Atlanta Dream star Angel Reese had a not-so-subtle message emblazoned across her T-shirt as she walked into the Chase Center for Game 5 of the WNBA Finals against the Golden State Valkyries.
“Protect Black women,” the shirt read.
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It’s unclear what the shirt was referencing or if it was a general statement. Reese has been unafraid at times to speak or write her opinions on societal topics that resonate with at least one corner of the universe.
Reese, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, has been having a pretty solid series, but needed to be locked in for the pivotal matchup against the Valkyries.
WNBA fans caught wind of the shirt. Some wondered what the reaction would be if a White WNBA player would have worn a “protect White women” shirt. Obviously, nobody really has to wonder about the outrage. Sophie Cunningham drummed up enough outrage earlier this season with the simplest of messages, “Protect women’s sports.”
It’s that theme that’s been a point of contention even in the WNBA Finals – what kind of message are you trying to send fans? “Protect women” may have been more appropriate but we don’t even have to go that far.
The WNBA pushed itself back into the spotlight as the two teams who are representing the league on the highest of level refused to even stay on the court for the national anthem.
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Dream star Rhyne Howard explained to OutKick last week she didn’t believe she was on the floor for the national anthem during her entire tenure in Atlanta.
“I don’t think I’ve been on the floor for the national anthem for any of my tenure in Atlanta, so if that’s what people are gonna look to nitpick for then so be it,” Howard said. “But as far as competing for your team, when I go put on a USA jersey I’m out for the national anthem every time, there’s no doubt about it.”
“Yes, I love the country that I play for and I love what we have here,” she added.
Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase said leaving the floor for the anthem has been part of the franchise’s pregame routine since the team first entered the WNBA.
But even if you put all of that to the side, the confusion about where Game 6 will be played as another addition to the strangeness of the series. Before Monday, the league had a huge scheduling conflict with trying to play Game 6 back at State Farm Arena.
Instead of moving the game to another venue, the league moved the tip-off time for a potential series clincher to 12:30 p.m. ET. It means Valkyries fans will have to get up early, put their meetings on hold and tune into a huge game.
A strangeness certainly lingers over the WNBA Finals in what would be the biggest Finals yet for the league.