Aces' Chelsea Gray hopes people 'think twice' after man who sent slur was fired
Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray said she hopes “people will think twice now” before spreading hate after a Hilton Grand Vacations employee was terminated for directing a racial slur towards Gray online.
“Enough is kind of enough,” Gray said on Wednesday, July 15, in her first media availability since coming forward about the racial abuse she received on social media. “These messages are not the first of its kind. There was other stuff too … It was just time. I got fed up with it and I just decided to share it.”
Gray said she’s experienced a wave of emotions since “putting myself out there” to shed light on the harassment some Black WNBA players regularly face. She hoped making the slur public would give a realistic look at what she and others experience, “so people can see it and can’t ignore it,” she said
“The hate directed at me and so many other Black athletes is one of the many ways systemic racism shows up in our lives,” Gray wrote in a social media post shared on Wednesday afternoon. “But as athletes, there is real power in calling it out and naming it, and we have a real opportunity to create change collectively when we do so.”
On Monday, Gray shared a screenshot of an Instagram message she received following the Aces’ 109-75 loss to the Indiana Fever on Sunday. She captioned the Instagram Story, “People act like we just make this (stuff) up. And the audacity to tell us as athletes to ‘shut up and dribble.'”
The man responsible for the racial slur was quickly identified by fans, prompting Hilton Grand Vacations to open an investigation. By Tuesday evening, the hotel chain announced the man had been fired for violating company policies.
On Wednesday, Gray said it was “really cool” to see everyone rally her around her in a positive way. She added “moments like this remind me of how much strength there is in people coming together.”
“The overwhelming messages and everything that I got from people and their support and them sending emails, them messaging me and actually trying to find the person that actually said it. I was just like, it was really cool to see a bunch of athletes, a bunch of people and just human decency to see people coming together,” Gray said.
Gray isn’t the first WNBA player to come forward about racial abuse this season.
After Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas received a one-game suspension for “recklessly” making contact with Caitlin Clark’s throat during the Phoenix Mercury‘s 111-109 win over the Indiana Fever on June 24, Thomas said she was on the receiving end of death threats, racial slurs and online abuse.
“I think the biggest thing is it’s just about our safety. We’re so concerned about the safety on the court, but time and time again, we’re having people threatening our lives,” Thomas said on June 30. “At some point the league needs to (take) a stand on it. … I’m sick and tired of it and it’s time for (the league) to step up and have our backs.
Following Thomas’ comments, Engelbert issued a statement that says the league “vehemently condemns any and all forms of hate.”
“The safety and well-being of everyone in our community is always the league’s top priority,” Engelbert said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. “We are aware of Alyssa Thomas’ comments, and what she and her teammates have experienced is completely unacceptable and not representative of the WNBA community. The league and our security team have been in contact with the Phoenix Mercury organization and remain committed to protecting all players.”
The league issued another statement on Wednesday in light of the incident with Gray.
“The WNBA fully supports the Las Vegas Aces’ statement and stands with Chelsea (Gray) 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.”
Reach USA TODAY National Women’s Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@gannett.com and follow her on X at @CydHenderson.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Aces’ Chelsea Gray hopes people ‘think twice’ after man who sent slur was fired