WNBA Officially Condemns Hateful Messages, 'There Is No Place For This'

A fan has been fired for allegedly sending racist and hateful messages to veteran WNBA guard Chelsea Gray.

Gray, who stars for the Las Vegas Aces, was on the receiving end of a racist message from an employee of Hilton Grand Vacations, according to ESPN. The employee has since been fired.

"The person responsible for posting this information is no longer with the company," the statement said. "His behavior was in violation of multiple company policies and does not reflect our company's values in any way."

Gray posted the message on social media after the Las Vegas Aces suffered a 109-75 loss to the Indiana Fever on Sunday. The messages included expletives and a racial slur.

"This was a message I received after our game vs Indy yesterday. People act like we just make this [expletive] up. And the audacity to tell us athletes to 'shut up and dribble.'"

Meanwhile, Phoenix Mercury star Alyssa Thomas spoke out against the WNBA - and commissioner Cathy Engelbert, specifically.

"We still have yet to hear anything from Cathy. It's no surprise," Thomas said. "You can see what's being said on social media and yeah, it's unfortunate, but as usual she remains silent and that's unfortunate when our lives are being threatened.

"At some point the league needs to put a stand on it. They came out with no hate speech, but what is that going to do? At some point, time and time again, players are going through this and the league remains silent. I'm sick and tired of it, and it's time for them to step up and have our backs in these instances."

WNBA speaks out against hate

The WNBA spoke out against hate on Wednesday, issuing an official statement.

"The WNBA fully supports the Las Vegas Aces' statement and stands with Chelsea and every member of our league. We unequivocally condemn racism and all forms of hate. There is no place for this behavior in sports or anywhere, and we remain committed to protecting the players and fostering an environment built on respect and inclusion," the league stated.

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This story was originally published July 15, 2026 at 12:35 PM.