WNBA Dedicates Season to Breonna Taylor, Holds Moment of Silence to Honor Her

New York Liberty and Seattle Storm players held a moment of silence for 26 seconds in honor of Breonna Taylor ahead of the WNBA season's start.

Prior to the WNBA tipping off Saturday afternoon, the league dedicated the season to Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman who was killed by Louisville police in her home in March.

The New York Liberty and Seattle Storm held a 26-second moment of silence to honor Taylor before the first WNBA's game of the season from its bubble at IMG Academy in Florida.

WNBA players observe a 26-second moment of silence for Breonna Taylor before tip off

They're all wearing Breonna Taylor's name on the back of their jerseys pic.twitter.com/sRPw7IFdEI

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 25, 2020

New York's Layshia Clarendon and Seattle's Breanna Stewart spoke before the moment of silence, saying WNBA players will be "a voice for the voiceless."

“We are dedicating this season to Breonna Taylor, an outstanding EMT who was murdered over 130 days ago in her home. Breonna Taylor was dedicated and committed to uplifting everyone around her," Clarendon said. "We are also dedicating this season to 'Say Her Name' campaign, a campaign committed to saying the names and fighting for justice for Black women, Black women who are so often forgotten in this fight for justice, who do not have people marching in the streets for them. We will say her name.

"Sandra Bland. Atatiana Jefferson. Dominique Remy Fells. And Breonna Taylor. We will be a voice for the voiceless."

.@Layshiac and @breannastewart address the 2020 #WNBA season being dedicated to Breonna Taylor and the Black Lives Matter Movement. pic.twitter.com/BNWrErjeWP

— WNBA (@WNBA) July 25, 2020

Taylor, an emergency medical technician, was shot eight times by plainclothes officers serving a narcotics search warrant at her apartment on March 13. No drugs were found. One of the three officers who shot into Taylor's home has been fired, and protesters have called for the officers to be criminally charged.

All of the Storm and Liberty players had Taylor's name on the back of their jerseys, and New York paid tribute to her by listing every player on Saturday's starting lineup under her name.

Opening day's #NYLiberty's starting 5. #BreonnaTaylor #SayHerName pic.twitter.com/eCotDzZzlE

— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) July 25, 2020

Players also chose to leave the court during the national anthem while wearing "Say Her Name" shirts. The powerful moment came on the heels of several MLB players choosing to kneel during the anthem on Opening Day.

Several NBA players have also been outspoken about demanding justice for Taylor. LeBron James, Alex Caruso and Tobias Harris are among those who have recently used their media availability to raise awareness around Taylor's death.