The NBA rule book does not specifically say that the anthem - or anthems, in games involving the Toronto Raptors, the lone Canadian team in the league - must be played before games. In the past, Cuban always had live performances of the anthem, although that practice has changed across all sports because of the pandemic.
#MARK CUBAN NATIONAL ANTHEM FREE#
The Mavericks played a prerecorded anthem with both teams standing along the free throw lines, as spelled out in NBA guidelines, before Wednesday night’s 118-117 win over Atlanta.
“With NBA teams now in the process of welcoming fans back into their arenas, all teams will play the national anthem in keeping with longstanding league policy,” the league said. Athlete protests of social and racial injustice during the “The Star-Spangled Banner” became a flashpoint between then-President Donald Trump and various leagues during his administration. Most teams don’t have fans at home games.īut the NBA abruptly reversed course with Cuban’s decision reverberating around the country, including a question put to White House press secretary Jen Psaki during her daily briefing. The league’s initial reaction to Cuban’s decision was to say teams were free to conduct pregame activities as they wished with the unusual circumstances created by the coronavirus pandemic.