Caitlin Clark returned to the Indiana Fever on Sunday. After being out for almost three weeks with a back injury and despite playing just 25 minutes became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 600 career assists, achieving the milestone in only 72 games. However, another controversial call involving Las Vegas Aces’ Chelsea Gray stood out, where the official ruled against Clark after review. A day after the game, Gray shared that after Alyssa Thomas, she had faced similar online harassment.

Gray shared a screenshot of a direct message she received on her Instagram Story on Monday, revealing the racial abuse she faced from a disgruntled fan.

“This was a message I received after our game vs. Indy yesterday… People act like we just make this s— up. And the audacity to tell us as athletes to ‘shut up and dribble.'” Gray wrote in the closed caption.

The incident that made Gray the target occurred when Gray tried to score, and Clark defended her. The duo battled for possession, where Gray and the Indiana Guard made contact a few times before the Aces guard laid up a jumping shot. Clark jumped to block the shot but went down clutching her back.

While she got back up to her feet, the referees reviewed the play and called for a personal foul. The Fever star immediately protested, saying, “It’s not a foul,” while stepping off the court.

However, what happened with Gray after the incident is very similar to what Alyssa Thomas faced after she had fouled Clark in their June 24 game against the Fever. While the officials didn’t call it during the game, they later reviewed the incident and upgraded her fist-to-throat contact as a flagrant foul 2.

Although Thomas served the mandatory one-game suspension as a result, the online backlash turned into personal threats. Her call for accountability and protection from the league started a chain of events that forced league commissioner Cathy Engelbert to put out a public statement, and even a letter from Congress.

Now, Chelsea Gray is adding her experience after Sunday’s game is yet another chapter in the WNBA’s struggle to protect its players.

US Congress members urge the WNBA to protect its players

On July 8, a group of 11 Republican lawmakers, led by Texas Rep. August Pfluger, sent a letter to WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, urging the league to take stronger action over what they described as repeated targeting of Clark, and the league’s failure to protect not just Clark but all of its players.

“Clark has been hip-checked, poked in the eye, and struck in the throat during games,” Pfluger wrote in the letter. “These incidents go far beyond routine physical play, yet the WNBA and its officiating have too often failed to address these unacceptable incidents and hold players accountable.”

The letter was signed by lawmakers from Texas, Indiana, Tennessee, Iowa, Missouri and South Carolina.

“As commissioner, you have an obligation to ensure that every player competes in a safe and professional environment, both on and off the court, free from violence, discrimination, or retaliation.”

However, Chelsea is facing similar circumstances online after a controversial call shows that the WNBA is still struggling to contain online toxicity, despite launching the ‘No Space for Hate’ campaign to combat this exact scenario ahead of the 2026 season.