Hilton Grand Vacations Fires Employee Who Sent Offensive Message to Chelsea Gray

Hilton Grand Vacations fired the employee who sent a racist direct message to Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray on social media. The company announced the termination Tuesday in a statement to media outlets, saying the person's behavior violated multiple company policies and did not reflect its values. The message reached Gray after the Aces lost 109-75 to the Indiana Fever on July 12.

Gray posted a screenshot of the message on her Instagram story the next day. She wrote that people act like athletes make such incidents up and noted the audacity of telling players to shut up and dribble. The Las Vegas Aces organization released a statement Wednesday condemning the messages directed at Gray.

It said the team does not tolerate hate speech online, in the arena or in the community and commended Hilton Grand Vacations for holding the individual accountable. The WNBA issued its own statement the same day, saying the league stands with Gray and every member and unequivocally condemns racism and all forms of hate.

Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas said she received death threats and racial slurs after her one-game suspension for contact with Caitlin Clark's throat during a June 24 game.

In March the WNBA and its players' union agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement that added enhanced security, technological support, mental-health resources, a stronger fan code of conduct and an anti-hate campaign. Thomas said on June 30 that players are concerned about safety on the court yet continue to receive threats to their lives.