WNBA Players and League Work Together to Stop Online Abuse
After players received hateful and threatening messages online, the WNBA and its players union met to find better ways to keep athletes safe.
WNBA players have been receiving a flood of hateful, racist, and threatening messages online. The problem has gotten so serious that league commissioner Cathy Engelbert and leaders from the players union met on Tuesday to talk about what to do. The meeting happened just weeks before the 2026 WNBA All-Star weekend in Chicago. Players say they want the league to act quickly and show that it takes the problem seriously.
Two recent incidents helped bring the issue into the spotlight. Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas received death threats online after she was suspended for one game for making contact with Caitlin Clark's throat during a June 24 game. Thomas said the WNBA never reached out to her about the suspension or the threats she received. She publicly called on the league to do better.
Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray also shared one of the hateful messages she received after a game against the Indiana Fever. In the message, a man used a racial slur against her. After fans identified the man, his employer, Hilton Grand Vacations, fired him. Both situations showed just how real and serious online abuse has become for WNBA players.
The WNBA already has some tools in place to fight online abuse. Last season, the league launched a program called 'No Space For Hate,' which uses technology to find hateful comments and offers mental health support to players. Players can also download an app that helps the league track and respond to abuse. WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike said the league has made a good start, but more work is still needed.
Players say one of the most important things the league can do is speak up fast when something bad happens. A'ja Wilson praised her Las Vegas Aces team for responding quickly to what happened to Chelsea Gray. 'The biggest tangible thing is to really say things for what they are, and just show us that you hear us and that you're there for us,' Wilson said. When teams and the league respond quickly, it sends a clear message that abuse will not be ignored.
Ogwumike said players also want to know that people who send hateful messages face real consequences. She noted that some players, like DeWanna Bonner, have had their home addresses shared online without their permission. That means the abuse can follow players even when they leave the arena or practice facility. Ogwumike said the league, the players union, and team staff must all work together to find answers.
Sports betting has also made the problem worse over time. Guard Sonia Citron explained that as more people bet money on WNBA games, some fans get angry when they lose and direct that anger at players online. She said players should be thoughtful about what they look at on social media. But she added, 'It's still important to have conversations about how we can make it better.'
The WNBA All-Star weekend is set to take place in Chicago. Fan events run July 23–25 at McCormick Place, and Skills Night happens July 24 at Wintrust Arena on ESPN. The All-Star Game tips off July 25 at 6:30 p.m. ET at the United Center on ABC and Disney+. The two teams — Team Coop and Team Spoon — feature stars like Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, A'ja Wilson, and Angel Reese.
The more we talk about it, the more that it's being seen, the more that people can understand that this is a really situation that we have to buckle down on.
Comprehension quiz preview
1. Why was Alyssa Thomas suspended for one game?
2. What happened to the man who sent Chelsea Gray a hateful message?
3. What is the name of the WNBA's anti-hate program launched last season?