Hilton Grand Vacations has terminated an employee who sent a racial slur to Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray following the team’s 109-75 loss to the Indiana Fever on Sunday.
The incident gained public attention after Gray posted a screenshot of the direct message, which included the slur, to her Instagram story on Monday. Gray accompanied the image with the caption: “People act like we just make this s— up. And the audacity to tell us as athletes to ‘shut up and dribble.’”
After the post began circulating, social media users identified the sender by investigating his online profile, where he had tagged Hilton Grand Vacations in several stories and appeared to be wearing a company name tag. By Tuesday, Hilton Grand Vacations confirmed that the individual was no longer employed by the organization.
In a statement provided to Front Office Sports, the company said: “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.”
A Pattern of Online Harassment
The abuse directed at Gray is the latest in a series of hostile online interactions involving WNBA players. Over the same weekend, Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams reported receiving a hateful audio message on Instagram following her team’s 90-85 victory over the New York Liberty. According to reports, the fan sent the message because Williams failed to record two assists, which resulted in the fan losing a player prop bet.
These incidents follow a period of heightened tension within the league regarding player safety and online harassment. In late June, Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas received death threats and racial slurs after a game against the Indiana Fever, during which she pushed her fist to the throat of Fever guard Caitlin Clark. Thomas was subsequently suspended for one game.
Following the backlash, Thomas publicly criticized the league for its response to the harassment she and her teammates endured. “At some point, the league needs to put a stand on it. They’ve 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,” Thomas stated.
League Response and Public Discourse
In response to the harassment reported by Thomas, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert issued a statement condemning all forms of hate, noting that the safety and well-being of the WNBA community is the league’s top priority. The league stated it has been in contact with the Phoenix Mercury organization regarding the threats. The discourse surrounding these events has been amplified by broader debates regarding the WNBA’s environment. Recently, 11 Republican lawmakers sent a letter to Commissioner Engelbert alleging that Caitlin Clark has faced racially motivated hostility and violence on the court. The letter claimed that incidents involving Clark go beyond routine physical play and criticized the league for failing to hold players accountable. While Clark and Fever coach Stephanie White have publicly denounced the online harassment directed at players, the league continues to face pressure to address the vitriol.
Summary of Recent Harassment Incidents
| Player | Team | Incident Context |
| :— | :— | :— |
| Chelsea Gray | Las Vegas Aces | Received racial slur in DM after loss to Indiana Fever |
| Courtney Williams | Minnesota Lynx | Received hateful audio message after betting-related frustration |
| Alyssa Thomas | Phoenix Mercury | Received death threats and slurs following on-court incident with Caitlin Clark |
The investigation into the Hilton Grand Vacations employee concluded quickly after social media users connected the individual to the company. The sender’s various social media accounts, which included content related to sports betting, were taken down shortly after Gray’s initial post.
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