Attitude Over Ability: Cameras caught Chicago Sky players leaving the court before the U.S. national anthem ahead of their WNBA season opener against the Indiana Fever. After the game, the commentator left a cryptic four-word message that stunned everyone.**

Angel Reese and Chicago Sky teammateChicago Sky (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever opened their 2025 WNBA season against each other in a matchup everyone was looking forward to, given the ongoing rivalry between second-year stars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.

Clark and Reese starred for Iowa and LSU, respectively, before stepping up to the pros. And the feud the latter sparked in the 2023 National Championship Game has carried over.

Following intriguing rookie seasons in 2024, their teams, the Sky and the Fever, were scheduled to treat fans to a mouthwatering opening game this Saturday. But there have been claims that the Sky either did not show up for the national anthem or walked out during it.

Dave Portnoy First To Report Bizarre Chicago Sky Decision

Dave Portnoy holding his sunglassesDave Portnoy (Photo via Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK)
Barstool Sports Owner Dave Portnoy suggested it was the former in a tweet.

“Chicago Sky didn’t come out for the anthem?  Weird,” Portnoy shared.

“Bush League Bulls**t Chicago Sky walk off the court during the National Anthem, then come back right after,” a fan claimed.

“I mean nobody is surprised that a team like the Chicago sky isn’t coming out for the national anthem,” said another.

It’s unclear what led to this or if it’s even true, but claims of the Sky skipping the anthem are spreading on social media.

Meanwhile, the Fever led the Sky 22-17 at the end of the first quarter at the time of writing. Caitlin Clark had five points while Angel Reese had four.

In a moment that’s ignited heated debate across social media and sports talk shows, several players from the Chicago Sky were seen leaving the court before the U.S. national anthem ahead of their WNBA season opener against the Indiana Fever. The move, caught clearly on the broadcast cameras, has stirred speculation about intent, professionalism, and what it says about the current state of the team.

The game, held at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, was expected to highlight the much-hyped rivalry between Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark. But before the tip-off could even happen, attention shifted away from basketball and toward the controversial pre-game gesture.

Footage shows a number of Sky players exiting the floor moments before the anthem began. While no official explanation was given by the team at the time, fans and commentators were quick to notice—and react. Some interpreted the action as a silent protest; others called it disrespectful or a display of poor sportsmanship.

But the moment that truly added fuel to the fire came after the game. Following Indiana’s dominant 93–58 win over the Sky, a post-game commentator summed up the mood with just four cryptic words: “Attitude over actual ability.”

That single phrase exploded online, with many interpreting it as a direct jab at Chicago’s team culture and focus. Critics claim the Sky are placing personal agendas above performance, and the scoreboard certainly didn’t help their case. Indiana controlled the game from start to finish, led by Caitlin Clark’s historic triple-double performance (20 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists). Meanwhile, Angel Reese struggled under the Fever’s intense defense, scoring inefficiently and showing visible frustration throughout the night.

The debate over the anthem walk-off isn’t new in American sports, but it hits differently when combined with a blowout loss and rising tensions between fanbases. Supporters of the Sky argue that players have the right to express themselves and that we shouldn’t jump to conclusions without a statement. Others argue that regardless of intent, optics matter—and this looked like a team lacking both focus and unity.

The WNBA has not yet released an official comment on the incident, but the moment has already left a lasting impression. While some fans praised the Sky’s players for taking a stand (whatever that stand may have been), others saw it as the latest example of attitude overshadowing on-court execution.

Whether or not the walk-off was intentional, political, or simply poor timing remains unclear. What’s certain is that the Indiana Fever didn’t let the drama distract them. They played with discipline, chemistry, and fire—qualities that championship contenders are built on.

As the season continues, the Sky will need to address both their off-court optics and their on-court execution. Because as one commentator put it: “Attitude over actual ability” might win attention, but it doesn’t win games.