Buzz Williams Teaches Players to Honor Veterans During the Anthem

Virginia Tech men’s basketball coach Buzz Williams begins each season by impressing upon his players the importance of respecting the national anthem and honoring the veterans who sacrificed for the country. Noticing small gestures—like glancing at shoes, swaying, or tugging at jerseys—Williams uses these moments to teach a larger lesson.

To drive the point home, he invited several veterans, some in uniform, to watch as he spoke. “We didn’t earn those chairs,” Williams told his team. “How tall you are, how fast you run, or how well you shoot didn’t earn those chairs. These guys, when they were your age, paused their lives, interrupted their education, changed careers, and gave their lives for those chairs.”

He continued, “When the anthem is played, we stand like grown men and honor these people. For the two and a half minutes it takes, we give our full attention. No swaying, no adjusting shorts or jerseys. That time belongs to them—they earned it, and that freedom allows us to be here today.”

Williams’ message reminds players—and fans—that the anthem is more than tradition; it is a moment to reflect on the sacrifices that allow them to play, learn, and live freely.

Although the players likely weren’t being disrespectful, Williams used the moment as a powerful teaching opportunity. His approach shows how coaches who open games with the national anthem can turn it into a meaningful lesson on respect, sacrifice, and gratitude.