Stephen A. Smith shuts down claims of Spurs players disrespecting USA national anthem during NBA Finals
· Yahoo Sports
The San Antonio Spurs found themselves at the center of an unexpected controversy following Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals. However, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith quickly pushed back against claims that players had disrespected the national anthem.
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The debate erupted after social media personality Matt Wallace shared a video showing several Spurs players, including Victor Wembanyama, standing during “The Star-Spangled Banner” without placing their hands over their hearts.
Wallace wrote on X that the players “REFUSE to put their hands over their hearts for the national anthem” and accused them of being disrespectful.
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Smith strongly disagreed.
“This is patently false,” Smith posted on X. “There are plenty of people who listen to the Nat’l Anthem and simply bow their heads with their hands in front of them or behind their backs and pay respects. Holding your hand over your heart is not a requirement.”
He continued: “The Spurs were not being disrespectful in anyway. Who is anyone to say they were just over that gesture? That is utterly ridiculous!!!”
Despite the controversy, the Spurs’ focus remains on the NBA Finals
The controversy surfaced less than 24 hours after the Spurs suffered a 105-95 loss to the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. New York erased a 14-point second-half deficit behind Jalen Brunson’s 30-point performance to extend its playoff-winning streak to 12 games.
For San Antonio, the bigger concern is basketball rather than social media criticism.
Wembanyama finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds but struggled from the field, shooting just 6-for-21 in his Finals debut.
“I was bad tonight,” Wembanyama admitted afterward. “It’s not more complicated than that.”
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) enters the court at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectSmith’s response reflects an important distinction between personal expression and actual disrespect. NBA teams are filled with players from different cultures and backgrounds, and there is no league requirement that athletes place a hand over their heart during the anthem.
The Spurs have built their organization around professionalism and team-first values for decades. Nothing from the pregame ceremony suggested otherwise.
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As San Antonio prepares for Game 2, the focus inside the organization will remain on correcting fourth-quarter mistakes and finding answers for Brunson, not responding to an online controversy.