The Las Vegas Aces released a strong statement condemning the hateful messages that were recently sent to starting guard Chelsea Gray. This comes a day after a man was fired from his job because of an Instagram message he sent Gray in which he insulted her and used a racial slur.
"The Las Vegas Aces organization unequivocally condemns the hateful and racist messages recently directed at Chelsea Gray," read the team's official statement. "We do not tolerate hate speech of any type, whether it's online, in the arena, or anywhere within our community.
"We stand behind those who have the courage to speak up for themselves. We are united with anyone who has been targeted by this type of unacceptable behavior."
— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) July 15, 2026
Following a 109-75 loss to the Indiana Fever on Sunday, Gray shared a screenshot of a message she received in which she was called the N-word. The person who sent the message was reportedly a Hilton Grand Vacations employee, but he has since been fired for his actions.
"We stand with organizations, like Hilton Grand Vacations, that hold individuals accountable for racist conduct," the Aces statement continued. "We commend them for the swift manner in which they acted in addressing this matter. No athlete should ever face this type of abuse for playing the game they love.
"To all our players and the entire WNBA community, you have our unwavering support in fighting against all forms of racism, hate speech and harassment. You are all valued members of this league, and we stand with you today and always."
Shortly after the Aces posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, the league quoted their post and shared its own statement.
"The WNBA fully supports the Las Vegas Aces' statement and stands with Chelsea and every member of our league," read a post from the official WNBA account. "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."
This is not the first incident of the season that has required players, coaches and the league to speak out against hateful speech. Just a few weeks ago, Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas and her teammates were receiving death threats following an in-game incident involving Fever star Caitlin Clark. In reaction to the harassment, Clark and coach Stephanie White spoke out. The WNBA also released a statement condemning "any and all forms of hate" while adding that safety and the well-being of everyone in the community is the league's top priority.
