When Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray received a message on social media earlier this week that contained a racist insult, her reaction was to take a screenshot in order to preserve it.
She first sent it to her wife before dropping it into a group chat with teammates A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young and Jewell Loyd. Wilson told her to post it, and Gray informed the group that she had planned on doing so. She wanted to show what people are messaging to athletes like her so that this one couldn’t be ignored.
“Enough was kind of enough,” Gray said on Wednesday. “These messages are not the first of its kind. There was other stuff, too. I just decided to share that one. It was just time. I got fed up with it.
“I know people will think twice now.”
Gray addressed the incident on a day when the Aces organization offered public support for her with a statement that denounced racist messages she had received and commended Hilton Grand Vacations for announcing Tuesday it had fired the employee who messaged the six-time All-Star.
“I mean, it was their code of conduct, right?” Gray said. “If you wouldn’t necessarily say that to somebody in person, why would you say that to a screen? Actions have consequences.”
Gray, Wilson and coach Becky Hammon would like to see the WNBA do more. As of early Wednesday afternoon, Gray said she had yet to speak with the league about the incident and instead had connected with WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson and other players.
“I think they can’t ignore that it’s happening,” Gray said. “Sometimes silence is just agreeance or sometimes silence is just that you don’t want to ruffle feathers, but then you’re neglecting a certain population that is actually getting affected by it. So the ball is in their court. I’ve done my job. I will continue to do my job. My teammates will, too. And it’s all part of a bigger systemic racism issue in that’s how it shows up for us as Black athletes.”
For the reigning MVP Wilson, she wanted the league to say something. The league did share the Aces’ statement on social media accounts and add its own: “The WNBA fully supports the Las Vegas Aces’ statement and stands with Chelsea 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.”
That statement came during the Aces’ practice, after which the reigning MVP Wilson came off the floor and let out a long sigh when asked what the league’s responsbility should be and if she was satified with its support.
“Sometimes I know I get a feeling that it’s just really just us, and that’s gross,” Wilson said. “That’s not something that needs to be going on. It’s just the say-so of like, ‘We hear y’all, we see y’all.’ We had the No Space for Hate (platform) last year, but now I don’t see it and we don’t hear it at all this year. This isn’t just a trend. This isn’t just something that goes on here and there. This is our livelihood.”
Where can the change start after WNBA players have brought this to the forefront?
“From the top. The absolute top,” Wilson said.
Wilson added that “enough is enough”with the hateful comments that she and other pro athletes have been subjected to, alluding to the effects of sports betting. She noted the team’s support for Gray while quickly pivoting to how much more needed to be done.
“If you come after one, you come after all,” Wilson said. “But I think there’s a larger conversation that needs to be had that is really above us, and I think that is the part that we really need to get to. So hopefully at All-Star (Weekend next week) we can have an opportunity and a conversation because at this time, something needs to change. It’s actually disgusting. So I’m glad that Chelsea had an opportunity to speak up and have an opportunity to show what we’ve been going through and we’re going to continue to go through until we have that conversation.
“It’s heartbreaking to see those things happen, but it’s also heartwarming when you have a franchise that’s behind you 100 percent.”
Gray expressed her appreciation for how the overwhelming reaction she received was supportive after she shared the racist message, including the public identifying the sender.
“We stand behind those who have the courage to speak up for themselves,” the Aces’ statement read. “We are united with anyone who has been targeted by this type of unacceptable behavior.
“We stand with organizations, like Hilton Grand Vacations, that hold individuals accountable for racist conduct. 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.”
Contact Diamond Leung at dleung@reviewjournal.com. Follow @diamond83 on X.
