Hilton Grand Vacations terminates employee after alleged racial slur sent to WNBA player Chelsea Gray

Hilton Grand Vacations announced on Tuesday that it has terminated an employee it believes sent a direct message containing a racial slur to Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray. The company said the individual's conduct violated multiple internal policies and did not reflect its values.

Gray shared a screenshot of the message on her Instagram story on Monday, noting the slur and commenting on the broader issue of harassment faced by athletes. The post prompted other users to examine the sender's profile, where a Hilton Grand Vacations name tag and multiple tags to the company were visible.

In a statement, Hilton Grand Vacations said it is conducting an investigation and will take appropriate action based on its findings. > "We are aware of the allegations involving this individual and are currently investigating the matter. The behavior described would be in violation of multiple company policies and does not reflect our company's values in any way," the company said.

The incident follows recent complaints from WNBA players about online abuse, including Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas, who described receiving death threats after a game. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert issued a statement condemning hate and emphasizing player safety, noting that the league is working with the Mercury organization to protect its athletes.