Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray received a racist direct message on Instagram following her team’s loss to the Indiana Fever on Sunday, July 12. Social media users have identified the sender as Nick Schreiber, an employee of Hilton Grand Vacations based in Austin, Texas. Hilton has confirmed it is addressing the matter and removed the employee from the schedule pending internal review.
Gray shared a screenshot of the message on her Instagram Stories. The message contained a racial slur and read in part: “You suck a** ugly a** n***r.” In her post, Gray wrote: “This was a message I received after our game vs Indy yesterday. People act like we just make this sht up. And the audacity to tell us as athletes to ‘shut up and dribble.’”
The identification of Schreiber stems from netizens cross-referencing the Instagram username visible in Gray’s screenshot (@atxschreibzz) with public profiles. Reports indicate Schreiber is a Texas Tech University graduate who earned a bachelor’s degree cum laude in business from the Rawls College of Business. He has worked in vacation sales at Hilton Grand Vacations. Following the backlash, his Instagram and LinkedIn profiles were reportedly deleted.
Chelsea Gray shares racial abuse she received following the Aces’ Sunday night loss to the Indiana Fever.
This comes after Alyssa Thomas also spoke out about the issue.
(Via cgray209/IG, I’ve censored the slur) pic.twitter.com/V2IKtP9QCX
— Callie Fin (@Callie__Fin) July 14, 2026
Hilton issued a statement condemning the conduct: “The behavior being reported is completely unacceptable and does not reflect the values of Hilton or our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone. Human Resources, Legal, and the appropriate leadership teams have been made aware of the matter and are addressing it accordingly.”
The company confirmed the employee has been removed from the schedule while the matter undergoes internal review. No further details on disciplinary outcomes have been released.
The message arrived after the Aces fell to the Fever. The contest featured physical play, including contact between Gray and Fever star Caitlin Clark that resulted in a foul call. Online discussions initially framed the sender as a “Caitlin Clark fan” largely because the game involved the Fever.
However, social media users who examined profiles linked to Schreiber have noted that his interests point elsewhere. Observers have highlighted apparent support for other WNBA players, including Paige Bueckers and Sabrina Ionescu. His online activity has also reflected engagement with sports betting and related content.
Hilton Grand Vacations tells @FOS it is investigating allegations that an employee sent a racial slur in a DM to Aces star Chelsea Gray. pic.twitter.com/BGwXelt6n2
— Colin Salao (@colincsalao) July 14, 2026
Several users have suggested the message may have been motivated by frustration over a sports gambling loss on the Aces-Fever matchup rather than any loyalty to Clark or the Fever. At this time, there is no established connection between Schreiber and Caitlin Clark’s fanbase, Indiana Fever supporters, or team-specific allegiances. The incident appears tied to individual conduct and possible betting-related anger rather than broader fan-group affiliation.
This clarification has circulated amid broader conversations about online abuse directed at WNBA players. Similar reports of racist messages and harassment have surfaced involving other athletes in recent weeks, underscoring persistent challenges with fan conduct across the league.
