The Indiana Fever are standing tall- literally and figuratively. As the national conversation around the anthem continues to simmer in sports, Caitlin Clark and her teammates are taking a path that separates them from much of the WNBA.
Saturday night’s nationally televised matchup against the New York Liberty wasn’t just another regular season game. It was a stage, and once again, the Fever made their stance clear before the opening tip. While the Liberty remained in the locker room during the national anthem, Indiana’s players stood in formation at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, hand over heart, facing the flag. It mirrored what happened a week earlier when the Chicago Sky also chose not to take the floor during the anthem. The Fever stood that day, too.
Fever Hold Their Ground As Other Teams Step Away
This growing trend caught fire after Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, sitting courtside last Saturday, first pointed out that the entire Sky roster stayed in the tunnel. Fast forward one week, and Front Office Sports’ Ryan Glasspiegel confirmed the Liberty made the same move. “Are the Fever the only team in the WNBA that stands on the court for the national anthem?” Glasspiegel posted on X.
On Memorial Day weekend, a time of remembrance across the country, the optics stirred a stronger reaction. Fans voiced frustration on social media about teams skipping the anthem altogether. In contrast, Caitlin Clark, already one of the league’s most visible stars, became a focal point again- this time not just for her jump shot, but for her quiet presence during “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
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Photos from the scene show Clark front and center before the game against the Atlanta Dream on May 20, standing respectfully with her team. Ron Hoskins of NBAE captured the moment, which has since circulated widely.
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Notably, the WNBA’s official rulebook still states that “players, coaches, and trainers are to stand and line up in a dignified posture along the sidelines or on the foul line during the playing of the National Anthem.” Whether or not the league will enforce that rule remains to be seen. So far, the WNBA has not made a public comment on either the Sky’s or Liberty’s actions. But until then, the Fever are making their position clear.