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← All fact checksMorning run · October 20, 2026 · #5 by reach
SportsPoliticsEvent claim

Did the WNBA teams leave the court during the national anthem?

Did both WNBA Finals teams, the Valkyries and the Dream, leave the court during the national anthem for a second straight game?

True, but…

The claim is true with caveats about the repeated behavior.

Yes, both teams left the court during the national anthem before Game 1 of the 2026 WNBA Finals, but the implication that this is routine behavior lacks full context.

+1Sources ↓Original post ↗
Genuine
The post as it circulated, labelled by our media check.Video · 0:38 · 1080×1920

Claims

✓ 1 true

Both the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries left the court prior to the playing of the national anthem before Game 1 of the 2026 WNBA Finals and returned seconds after it ended.12

✓ TrueCentral claimHigh confidence

Evidence from multiple sports outlets confirms that both teams did leave the floor during the national anthem for Game 1 on October 17, 2026. Reports show the teams exited prior to the anthem and re-entered shortly after it concluded. The situation was notably documented by OutKick reporter Dan Zaksheske, whose video serves as key evidence. The corroboration from various independent sources strengthens the reliability of the information, though specifics about their prior behavior during anthems are not extensively discussed in the sources. Hence, while the immediate claim is verified, the broader implications of a habitual pattern require more comprehensive evidence of recurrence beyond this event.

This happened 'once again' (implying a repeated or routine behavior across games beyond this instance).3

~ Partly trueModerate confidence

While the specific event before Game 1 on October 17 is confirmed, the claim of routine behavior suggested by 'once again' is less substantiated. Historical contexts do exist where teams have left the court during the anthem, but the insinuation of a regular pattern across numerous games needs further evidence. The notion that this action is consistently repeated in future games is not as firmly established and would require more detailed investigation into previous instances to validate the claim comprehensively.

What was posted

X

On Twitter, the post includes a video showing both teams leaving the court just before the national anthem and returning directly after.

“Once again, both WNBA Finals teams leave the court as soon as the national anthem starts and return almost the second it ends.”

“Once again, both WNBA Finals teams leave the court as soon as the national anthem starts and return almost the second it ends.” — translated

Who posted it

X
@RealDanZak

Account under a year old

View the account on X ↗

Account check

Looks like a genuine account20%
Likelihood of automation80%

Estimates from public signals — account age, posting pattern, audience — not a judgement of the person behind the account, and separate from whether this post is true.

What stood out

  • Account lacks profile information and recent posts, suggesting inactivity or automation.
  • No verifiable information or notable affiliations found for 'RealDanZak'.
  • Account not verified on Twitter, reducing credibility.
Signals (4)+
Posting cadence
0
Follower ratio
0
Notable news coverage
No
Fact check history
No

Account checked October 20, 2026, 03:03 UTC

The media

Video
GenuinePresented as real footage· The claim depends on it

✓ What is genuine

The video accurately shows the players exiting the court and returning after the anthem.

The tells

  • ●●● Strong signal The video lacks visual distortions or artifacts that indicate manipulation.our visual review
  • ●●● Strong signal The video includes identifiable arena visuals confirming the game's context.our visual review
  • ●●○ Supporting signal The clip is hosted on a partisan site, which may influence how it is framed.our review

Synthetic-media detector

Detector ran

The claim stands or falls on whether the media is real, so the detector ran.

AI-generated likelihood3%
Deepfake likelihood9%

Scores are the detector’s estimate for the file as uploaded. A low score does not rule out editing, a spliced caption, or footage shown out of context — those are judged above. Model v3.

How we checked the media

  • We examined the reported video accompanying the claim for signs of manipulation and found none.
  • We evaluated the live footage comparison with reported accounts to corroborate authenticity.
  • We checked the metadata and context surrounding the original posting.

Sources

4 sources reviewed

Further reading

The full story

On October 17, 2026, prior to Game 1 of the WNBA Finals held at Chase Center, both the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries left the court during the national anthem. The event garnered significant attention due to the league’s standard guidelines, which call for players to remain on the court during the anthem. The video posted by OutKick and subsequently reported by other outlets verified both teams' actions, showing them exiting just before the anthem began and returning afterwards. While departures during the anthem have occasionally occurred in past games as part of team routines, the suggestion that this behavior is fundamentally repeated needs more evidence for broader claims about its recurrence. The incident highlights ongoing discussions about anthem protocols in sports and how teams express their views during these ceremonies.

How it was framed

False contextMisleading content

The tweet indicates a specific incident that is accurate but implies a recurring behavior that isn't fully supported by existing evidence.

  • Emotional language. The phrase 'once again' adds an emotional appeal by suggesting a recurring violation or significant act.
  • Selective evidence. Cited video evidence only highlights this one incident, omitting lack of previous consistent behavior.

Bias

NoneSlightModerateStrong

Leans critical_of_teams/league. The caption frames the teams' actions as a repeated affront ('Once again') and comes from a reporter/outlet that has previously criticized such behavior; the post pushes a critical viewpoint but does not introduce demonstrable factual errors about the single event.

Bias describes how the post frames its message — the slant of the language, selection and emphasis — and is judged separately from whether the claim is true. A true claim can still be framed with a strong slant.

How we checked

1 min 11 s
  1. 1

    We conducted searches using phrases related to the WNBA anthem incident, targeting keywords from the post.

  2. 2

    We reviewed news articles and social media to confirm the teams' actions during the anthem on October 17, 2026.

  3. 3

    We validated the authenticity of the video shared in the original post by comparing it with other confirmed reports.

✓ Claim checked✓ Media checked✓ Sources checked

Why 85% confidence

High

The high confidence score reflects strong corroboration from multiple independent sources that verified the specific event without discrepancies.

Limits. The analysis could not investigate prior similar incidents or broader evaluations of routine behavior.

Spot it yourself

Find the overstatement

Looks suspicious, isn’t proof

  • The wording 'once again' suggests a broader narrative that may not be true without sufficient evidence.
  • The partisan nature of the source could lead to biased framing.
  • The video’s emotional presentation might provoke stronger opinions than warranted.

The actual evidence

  • The event documented in the video is authentic, proving both teams left the court during the anthem.
  • Montage of coverage from several sports outlets which confirmed the event in real-time.
  • Verification from multiple independent sources supporting the incident's factual nature.
  1. 1

    Check multiple sources when claims imply a repeated behavior to see if other incidents support it.

    Look for corroborating reports or past instances of similar claims in reliable media.

  2. 2

    Watch for specific phrases like 'once again' that may indicate subjective interpretation.

    Consider the context and frequency of past occurrences related to the claim.

  3. 3

    When evaluating videos, assess their showing of multiple angles or evidence from different perspectives.

    Use screenshots or frames to see if distortions are present that might indicate manipulation.

Takeaway

Always look beyond the surface claims to seek verification. Be critical of language that suggests habitual behavior without supporting evidence.

Questions people ask

What happened during the national anthem at the WNBA Finals?+

Before Game 1 on October 17, 2026, both the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries left the court during the national anthem and returned immediately after it ended.

Why is this incident being discussed?+

The event has drawn attention due to the WNBA's anthem protocols, calling attention to how teams engage with this tradition amid ongoing debates about protest.

Are there other times teams have left the court during the anthem?+

While some teams may have occasionally exited during anthems in past seasons, the specifics of such instances require further evidence for a definitive pattern.

Go deeper

WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association, a professional women's basketball league in the United States.
National Anthem
A patriotic song officially recognized by a country, played during ceremonial events.
Corroboration
Evidence that confirms a statement or claim by providing supporting details from multiple sources.

People also search for

WNBA teams leave court anthemAtlanta Dream Golden State Valkyries anthemnational anthem WNBA Finalsplayers leave court during anthemGame 1 anthem incidentDan Zaksheske OutKick WNBA
For educators+
The role of national anthems in sports cultureMedia integrity and verificationThe importance of context in evaluating claims
  • What are the implications of athletes choosing to exit during national anthems?
  • How can social media influence the public's perception of sports events?
  • What strategies can we use to critically evaluate media claims and reports?

About this check

Platform
X
Posted by
@RealDanZak
Posted
October 20, 2026
Age when checked
Under 24 hours old when checked
Where it spread
United States
Audience
US audience
Language
EN
Status
● Post is live
Verified
October 20, 2026, 03:04 UTC
Published
October 20, 2026, 03:04 UTC

Reach. @RealDanZak video 910 likes, 1,078 replies (X syndication) within ~2h; OutKick 681 likes; NY Post 19 Oct; WNBA Finals trending on Bluesky and Google Trends US ('jordin canada')

This verdict was generated with AI from the sources shown. AI can make mistakes — check the sources before relying on it.

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