Las Vegas Aces Face Backlash After Players Leave Court Before National Anthem
The Las Vegas Aces are facing a wave of online criticism after video appeared to show several players leaving the court shortly before the national anthem was performed ahead of their decisive WNBA playoff game against the Indiana Fever.
The footage, which circulated widely on social media Thursday, shows Aces players heading toward the tunnel as the arena prepared for the performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The Indiana Fever, meanwhile, remained on the court for the anthem.
The video quickly generated accusations that the Las Vegas players had deliberately left the floor to avoid participating in the anthem. However, the footage itself does not establish why the players left, and no public statement from the Aces has established that avoiding the anthem was their reason.
Video Sparks Immediate Online Backlash
The controversy began after a video was posted on X showing Aces players leaving the court shortly before the anthem.
Jon Root, who shared the footage, characterized the move as an intentional decision to avoid participating in the national anthem. Other social-media users echoed that interpretation, with some calling the incident “despicable” and others questioning why the Aces were not on the court while the Fever remained there.
Those reactions quickly turned the pregame moment into a larger debate about professional athletes, national symbols and expectations surrounding the anthem at sporting events.
But there is an important distinction between what the video shows and what has been established.
The video shows players leaving the court before the anthem. It does not, by itself, prove that the players left specifically to avoid the national anthem.
What WNBA Rules Say About the Anthem
The controversy has also drawn attention to the WNBA’s rules concerning the national anthem.
The league’s rulebook includes a provision under team conduct stating that players, coaches and trainers are to stand and line up in a dignified posture along the sidelines or foul line during the playing of the national anthem. The provision appears in the league’s official rulebook.
That rule has prompted some social-media users to question whether the Aces’ pregame conduct was consistent with league requirements.
However, the existence of a rule does not establish that the Aces violated it in this particular incident, nor does the available footage establish whether the league considered the players’ actions a rules violation.
Aces Went on to Win the Decisive Game
The controversy unfolded before a winner-take-all playoff matchup between Las Vegas and Indiana.
Once the game began, the Aces produced a 94-83 victory, eliminating the Fever and advancing to the WNBA semifinals. A’ja Wilson led Las Vegas with 36 points and 10 rebounds, while Chelsea Gray added 23 points and Jackie Young scored 18.
Caitlin Clark scored 18 points for Indiana, while Kelsey Mitchell contributed 23 and Aliyah Boston finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
The result means the anthem controversy was ultimately separate from the basketball outcome, but the pregame footage continued circulating after the final buzzer.
Why the Incident Has Become a Larger Debate
National anthem-related incidents involving professional athletes have repeatedly generated debate because they sit at the intersection of sports, patriotism, individual expression and league policies.
In this case, the reaction has been particularly sharp because the Aces and Fever were visible in contrasting positions immediately before the game: Las Vegas players appeared to leave the floor, while Indiana remained for the anthem.
Some critics interpreted that contrast as a deliberate political or patriotic statement. Others have pointed out that players sometimes return to the locker room before games for last-minute instructions, preparation or other pregame activities, meaning the footage alone cannot establish motivation.
As of the latest available reporting, there has been no publicly documented explanation from the Aces establishing that the players’ departure was intended as an anthem protest.
What Is Confirmed — and What Remains Unclear
Several facts are established: the incident occurred before Game 3 of the Aces-Fever playoff series; video circulated showing Aces players leaving the court before the anthem; the Fever remained on the court; and the Aces subsequently won 94-83 to advance.
What remains unresolved is the players’ precise reason for leaving the court.
That distinction matters as the video continues to circulate online. Claims that the Aces intentionally dodged or protested the national anthem remain an interpretation of the footage rather than an established fact unless the team or individual players provide evidence confirming that explanation.
For now, the incident has added another layer of controversy to an already highly watched playoff matchup between two of the WNBA’s most prominent teams.
Benjamin Harris is a RapidReports front page contributor and editor,proud father of four.
