The Incident Occurred Less Than Two Weeks After Alyssa Thomas Received Death Threats Following a Foul on Caitlin Clark and Amid a GOP Lawmakers’ Letter Targeting the WNBA’s Discrimination Against Clark
Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray said she received racist abuse following an on-court encounter with Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark, prompting the sender’s employer to terminate him after an internal investigation.
Gray shared a screenshot Monday of a profanity-filled Instagram message that called her the N-word and told her to “shut up and dribble.” The message arrived after the Aces’ 109-75 loss to the Fever on Sunday.
“This was a message I received after our game vs. Indy yesterday,” Gray wrote on Instagram Stories per People. “People act like we just make this s— up. And the audacity to tell us as athletes to ‘shut up and dribble.’”
According to the Guardian, Hilton Grand Vacations later confirmed that the person responsible for the message was an employee who had violated several company policies.
“The person responsible for posting this information is no longer with the company,” Hilton Grand Vacations said in a statement. “His behavior was in violation of multiple company policies and does not reflect our company’s values in any way.”
The individual has not been publicly identified. Social media users reportedly connected him to the company after noticing a Hilton Grand Vacations name badge and company references on his account.
Gray, 33, is a three-time WNBA champion and one of the Aces’ most accomplished veterans.
Physical Play Draws Racist Backlash
The abuse followed a first-half play in which Gray attempted to create space while being guarded by Clark. Gray made contact with Clark’s midsection as she backed toward the basket, but officials called a common foul against Clark.
Clark fell to the floor holding her stomach and protested the decision, arguing that Gray should have been called for an offensive foul.
The disputed call quickly generated debate online. Gray’s post, however, showed how criticism of an ordinary basketball play had escalated into explicitly racist harassment.
The incident comes as Clark’s games increasingly generate political and cultural arguments that extend far beyond what happens on the court.
Alyssa Thomas Also Reported Threats
Gray is not the first Black WNBA player to report racist abuse after an altercation involving Clark.
Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas said she and members of her family received racial slurs and death threats after Thomas was suspended for one game following contact with Clark’s throat during a June matchup.
“It’s unfortunate that it’s come to this over basketball,” Thomas told reporters. “Now we’re being painted as thugs. There’s death threats out on us. It’s really unacceptable.”
Thomas said the contact occurred while players were fighting for a loose ball and described it as accidental. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert subsequently condemned the threats and said the league’s security team had contacted the Mercury.
Also Read: Paige Bueckers’ Coaching Comments Come as Clark Comparisons, Questions About Race and Privilege
Political Scrutiny Surrounds WNBA
The harassment comes amid increased political attention surrounding Clark’s treatment in the league.
11 Republican members of Congress recently sent a letter to the WNBA questioning whether physical play against Clark could be racially motivated and raising the possibility of a federal civil rights investigation.
The Indiana Fever said neither Clark nor the organization was involved in the lawmakers’ request and that the team was unaware of the letter before it became public.
Gray’s experience has renewed questions about why accusations of unfair treatment toward Clark receive national and congressional attention while Black players continue to report racial slurs, threats and other harassment after competing against her.
