Hilton Grand Vacations fired an employee this week after they were caught sending a racist message to Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray, a move reported by Front Office Sports on Tuesday. This isn't just some random corporate decision, it's a direct response to the vile, hateful trash Gray had to deal with after a game.
Caught Red-Handed: The Message and The Fallout
The whole ugly incident blew up after the Aces' 109-75 loss to the Indiana Fever on Sunday. Gray, like a total pro, shared a screenshot of the message she got on her Instagram story. And what was in it? This so-called "fan" told her she "sucks" and then dropped a flat-out racial slur. Can you even believe the audacity?
Gray wasn't having it, and rightly so. She called out the garbage herself, writing, "People act like we just make this shit up." She added, "And the audacity to tell us as athletes to 'shut up and dribble.'" The best part? The moron who sent it left his username and photo in the screenshot, making him easy to identify. Hilton Grand Vacations wasted no time. Their statement confirmed it: "The person responsible for posting this information is no longer with the company. His behavior was in violation of multiple company policies and does not reflect our company's values in any way." Good riddance, honestly.
This Isn't New: The WNBA's Fight Against Pure Hate
Here's the thing, this isn't an isolated incident. This hate is a problem that keeps popping up around the WNBA, especially involving teams playing the Fever. Just last month, Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas got a suspension for an in-game clash with Indiana guard Caitlin Clark. Thomas took the punishment, but she made it loud and clear that she and her teammates were getting hammered with hateful messages, including death threats and racial slurs.
Thomas didn't hold back, telling reporters, "You know, our families are being threatened, kids are being threatened, people are sending racial slurs and all types of stuff." She perfectly summed it up, saying, "There's a difference between trolling, and there's a difference between hatred and the hatred that we're experiencing over a play that honestly was a complete accident, nobody even knew it happened. It's just unfortunate, but the league has to do better in this instance." Even Fever coach Stephanie White and Clark herself stepped up to condemn the harassment. White nailed it when she said, "I think as a league, as a whole, there's been so much more toxicity, racism, homophobia, straight-out nonsense, hate nonsense. And it is absolutely unacceptable." The WNBA even dropped its own statement condemning "any and all forms of hate."
It's important to note, the "fan" who targeted Gray didn't even mention Clark or the Fever in his message. His Instagram bio only listed "sports betting," so who knows what kind of "fan" he was. But it doesn't matter. What's clear is the WNBA is saying enough is enough. This kind of hate has absolutely no place in sports, or anywhere else. The league has to keep pushing back, making sure its players are safe from this garbage.
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.