Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray exposed the racism she received via an Instagram message after Sunday's loss to the Indiana Fever. The 33-year-old WNBA star posted a screenshot of the slur to her story on Monday night, writing, "People act like we make this s--- up."
Gray also called out the broader pattern of WNBA racism directed at players. "And the audacity to tell us as athletes to 'shut up and dribble,'" she added.
Internet users quickly identified the sender as a Hilton Grand Vacations employee. By Tuesday, the company confirmed it had fired the individual.
"His behavior was in violation of multiple company policies and does not reflect our company's values in any way," the company said in a statement.
WNBA Racism and Fan Toxicity Putting Players at Risk
The incident follows a troubling stretch for player safety across the league.
Just two weeks earlier, Phoenix Mercury star Alyssa Thomas revealed she had received death threats and racial slurs online after committing a foul against guard Caitlin Clark. The message sent to Gray also came after the veteran guard committed a foul on the Fever star.
While Gray hasn't issued an official statement, Thomas has called on the WNBA to move beyond statements and take concrete action to protect its athletes from growing online abuse.
