WNBA players from New York Liberty and Seattle Storm walked off the court during the national anthem on Saturday's season opener at the IMG Academy in Florida.

In a statement move during the national anthem, the WNBA players dropped their basketballs and went back to their locker rooms to honor victims of social injustice like Breonna Taylor.

The WNBA teams said the games will be dedicated to these victims for the entire season.

MLB teams also knelt down before the national anthem played in a moment of honor days prior. Some players also took a knee during the anthem in the game.

"As the national anthem was played, they [New York Liberty] and [Seattle Storm] walked off the floor as part of the social justice initiative," ESPN tweeted.

When the teams went to their locker rooms, they held a moment of silence that lasted for 26 seconds to honor 26-year-old Taylor.

'Say Her Name' Campaign

"We are dedicating this season to Breonna Taylor, an outstanding EMT who was murdered over 130 days ago in her home," Liberty point guard Layshia Clarendon said before the game took off.

In a Fox News report, Clarendon added that the season is also dedicated to the 'Say Her Name' campaign, a social justice movement for victims who are often forgotten in the fight for justice. She said the female victims of violence "do not have people marching in the streets for them."

She said Taylor "was dedicated and committed to uplifting everyone around here."

None of the officers that were part of the shooting leading to Taylor's death were arrested or charged. There is still an ongoing investigation by the Kentucky Attorney General's Office.

The point guard said the players will be there to say the victims' names: Sandra Bland, Atatiana Jefferson, Dominique Remy Fells and Breonna Taylor.

"We will be the voice of the voiceless," Clarendon said.

The Guardian reported that Taylor's full name can be seen at the back of both teams' jerseys during the game.

Raising Awareness

Earlier this month, WNBA announced that the 2020 season is focused on raising awareness on social justice issues. These efforts will include warm-up uniforms that hold the messages like "Say her name."

The creation of a player-led Social Justice Council was also announced.

Before the Saturday game, players from Liberty posted a video message featuring players as they demand justice for Taylor. In the video, they described Taylor as a "woman, daughter, sister, and beloved".

They recalled the details of Taylor's case and said it was their turn to fight for justice.

A broadcast of the matchup between the Storm and Liberty was seen on ESPN. It featured the highly awaited professional debut of Sabrina Ionescu who was selected by Liberty.

She was the first-overall pick of this year's WNBA draft. Ionescu scored 12 points, six rebounds and four assists in her team's loss to the Storm during the Saturday game, CBS reported.

The current season of WNBA was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic and will be played in a bubble in Florida.

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