‘Retarded’: NBA sponsors activist who twists National Anthem into gay promo

The National Basketball Association has sponsored an LGBT activist who used his time at the center of attention to twist the National Anthem into a gay promotion.

The smirking singer given the honor of delivering the anthem at the Golden State Warriors’ “pride” event pulled a rainbow flag out of his coat and waved it overhead while screeching the single word “Prooooouuuuuudly.”

It was the latest incident evidencing that the NBA has gone from being an athletic competition to a social agenda-driven campaign.

The NBA brought a gay man out to sing the National Anthem and instead of waving an American flag, he waved a Pride Flag.

The players couldn't stop laughing.

Looks like Woke 3.0 is trying to make a full push, but people are done with it. pic.twitter.com/7YK5hr1SjH

— Jack (@jackunheard) November 6, 2026

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Social media reacted negatively: “It doesn’t get more disrespectful than this.” “This is so offensive.” “Retarded.”

It wasn’t the first time the NBA put a social agenda at the top of its priorities:

An NBA player lost his job for calling out the NBA for pushing gay pride. Now we have a gay guy holding a pride flag mid song SMH

Many men and women died for this country to be free and hold Christian values. What disgusting disrespect man 🤦🏻‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/c2X3XtlkMq

— Jacob (@Jacobtheclipper) November 6, 2026

Jaden Ivey is the NBA player who was released after speaking against LGBTQ “pride.”

NBA players can kneel for the flag.
Promote degeneracy.
Beat their girlfriends and wives.

But none will receive the persecution that Jaden Ivey has.

Jaden Ivey was right though.

“Pride” is not… pic.twitter.com/sGkEVgtq3N

— John Strand (@JohnStrandUSA) April 1, 2026

Actually, Joe Biden did essentially the same, arranging for the “pride” flag to fly at the White House during his celebration of the LGBT beliefs while he was in office.

Among the places the activism was blasted was at Fox, which posted an opinion piece.

“A tiny rainbow flag. During the national anthem. During the actual national anthem. You wanna talk about disrespectful. This makes the WNBA nonsense from last month look like child’s play. Woke 3.0 is off to a BLAZING start.”

WNBA players routinely avoided the anthem during their playoffs by exiting the court when it was sung.

Continued the commentary, “This was a step too far, even for the insufferable NBA. It’s just horrible. It’s so embarrassing, and pathetic, and — again — disrespectful. Why? Why do this? Yes, it was ‘Pride Night’ at Oracle Arena because every team has to have a Pride Night. Why? I don’t know, but they do. I get it. That’s fine. But ‘Pride Night’ doesn’t give you a hall pass to do whatever you want during our country’s national anthem. Feel like that’s off-limits to anything and everything.”

It went on, “There’s a right way to do it, and a wrong way to do it. No in between. Waving a Pride flag while singing it is the wrong way to do it. Plain and simple.”

Fox noted even the “Even the players were stunned by it. Look at them! They can’t hold back their laughter.”  

Bob Unruh

Bob Unruh joined WND in 2006 after nearly three decades with the Associated Press, as well as several Upper Midwest newspapers, where he covered everything from legislative battles and sports to tornadoes and homicidal survivalists. He is currently a news editor for the WND News Center, and also a photographer whose scenic work has been used commercially. Read more of Bob Unruh's articles here.