Los Angeles Sparks star Dearica Hamby was subjected to racist abuse after being ejected from a game for a flagrant foul on Saturday. Hamby was removed from the game after elbowing Connecticut Sun forward Raegan Beers in the face, an action Hamby suggested was in retaliation for a previous hit to the stomach.
Two days after the incident, Hamby shared a screenshot on social media of a text message she received from an unknown number. The message contained a racial slur and demeaning language, including a monkey emoji. Hamby asked her followers if they could identify the sender, and some fans reportedly traced the number to an individual in New Jersey, sharing details about his alleged political affiliation, court history, and employer.
This incident is part of a pattern of abuse targeting WNBA players. Earlier in the season, Phoenix Mercury veteran Alyssa Thomas was suspended after hitting Caitlin Clark in the throat while they vied for a loose ball. Following that incident, Thomas, her wife, and their children reportedly received death threats and racial slurs from some online users.
"Our families are being threatened," Thomas stated at the time. "Kids are being threatened. People are sending racial slurs and all types of stuff. There's a difference between trolling and there's a difference between hatred."
Clark publicly condemned the abuse directed at Thomas, stating, "the harassment, the hate, none of that is okay. That goes for the opposing team we play, that goes for my teammates, that goes for my coaches, there should never be a question of character."
Following the Thomas incident, another WNBA player, Chelsea Gray of the Las Vegas Aces, also faced racial abuse from fans of Clark after a play where Gray's elbow made contact with Clark's midsection. Officials reviewed the play but did not escalate the call beyond a foul on Clark for flopping. Gray shared some of the messages she received, expressing frustration at the level of hatred directed at players.
