A racist message sent to Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray has cost the sender their job, after the WNBA veteran chose to expose the abuse publicly rather than stay silent. According to the Guardian, Hilton Grand Vacations confirmed it fired the employee responsible for messaging Gray a racial slur following the Aces’ 109-75 loss to the Indiana Fever on Sunday.
The abuse stemmed from an on court exchange the day before. As People reported, Gray, 33, and Fever guard Caitlin Clark, 24, got physical during the first half when Clark attempted to block Gray from scoring. Gray drew a foul on the play but elbowed Clark in the stomach in the process, sparking criticism from some onlookers. Clark protested, but the call stood as a common foul.
One day later, Gray took to her Instagram Stories to share a screenshot of the profanity laced, racist message she received in response. “This was a message I received after our game vs Indy yesterday,” she wrote, per People. “People act like we just make this s— up. And the audacity to tell us as athletes to ‘shut up and dribble.'”
Hilton Grand Vacations moved swiftly once the message circulated. In a statement to the Associated Press cited by the Guardian, the company said the individual responsible “is no longer with the company,” adding that “his behavior was in violation of multiple company policies and does not reflect our company’s values in any way.”
The incident is far from isolated. As both outlets noted, Gray’s experience follows a similar wave of abuse directed at Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas, who said she received racial slurs and death threats after a one game suspension for a foul on Clark last month. Thomas publicly criticized the league’s handling of the situation, telling reporters, “Now we’re being painted as thugs. There’s death threats out on us. It’s really unacceptable.”
The Guardian pointed out that the harassment comes despite a new collective bargaining agreement reached in March, which aimed to strengthen player security, fan conduct rules and anti-hate initiatives. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert previously condemned the abuse aimed at Thomas, stating the league “vehemently condemns any and all forms of hate” and remains committed to protecting its players.
