The WNBA returned to the court on Saturday with Sabrina Ionescu’s debut as the New York Liberty took on Breanna Stewart’s Seattle Storm at IMG Academy in Florida. However, before the game even started, the players made headlines as both teams walked off the court during the national anthem in protest of social inequality.
As the national anthem was played, the @nyliberty and @seattlestorm walked off the floor as part of the social justice initiative. pic.twitter.com/VihH5X3Yzh
— ESPN (@espn) July 25, 2020
That wasn’t the only show of activism on Saturday, as the players also held a 26-second moment of silence in honor of Breonna Taylor, the 26-year-old EMT who was shot and killed by police in Louisville on March 13th. Liberty guard Layshia Clarendon said that they will be dedicating the season to Taylor’s memory:
We are dedicating this season to Breonna Taylor, an outstanding EMT who was murdered over 130 days ago in her home. Breonna Taylor was dedicated and committed to uplifting everyone around here.
The WNBA has been vocal as a league this summer in support of the protests that erupted around the country, as well as the Black Lives Matter movement. Currently, the Atlanta Dream are embroiled in a clash with their own owner, Senator Kelly Loeffler, who has been outspoken in her critcism against BLM.
On top of the anthem protest and the season dedication, both teams also wore jerseys with Breonna Taylor’s name on the back during Saturday’s game. That’s part of a league campaign to highlight the names of people killed by police, and will also include Sandra Bland and Vanessa Guillen.
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