Social media user sending Chelsea Gray racial slur shows WNBA must do more to protect players

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said the league is committed to protecting players after Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas recently revealed she's been the victim of written and verbal abuse. It clearly needs to take more steps in those efforts. 

Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray shared a screenshot from a user who sent her a message with a racial slur after a 109-75 loss to the Indiana Fever on Sunday night.

Chelsea Gray speaks on the user who sent her a racial slur 

"This was a message I received after our game vs Indy yesterday," wrote Gray on her Instagram story on Monday night. "People act like we make this s— up. And the audacity to tell us athletes to 'shut up and dribble.'" 

A man who allegedly sent Gray the message was fired from Hilton Grand Vacations on Tuesday. 

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

The WNBA and the Aces, meanwhile, haven't commented on the matter. In March, the WNBA and the players' union agreed to a new CBA (collective bargaining agreement) that aimed to improve player security, enhance technological support for players, strengthen the fan code of conduct and launch an anti-hate campaign. The league clearly has much more work to do in those initiatives. 

"We're so concerned about our safety on the court, but time and time again, we're having people threaten our lives," Thomas said. "Leaking addresses out there. Put crazy pictures that have nothing to do with basketball." 

Thomas received her messages after an incident with Fever star guard Caitlin Clark. She shoved her fist into her throat during the second quarter of a 111-109 Mercury win. She was subsequently suspended for one game.

Gray was also involved in a chippy play with Clark in Sunday's game, but it wasn't as physical as the one with Thomas. She bumped Clark in the post. The Fever star then appeared to wince in pain afterward.