REPORT: Chicago Sky Players Walked Off The Court Before U.S. National Anthem Ahead Of Their WNBA Season-Opener vs. Indiana Fever

Chicago 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 (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.