Overview
- League and WNBPA leaders held a virtual meeting on July 21 to respond to a recent spike in racist, threatening and abusive messages aimed at players and to start an ongoing dialogue.
- The WNBA pledged to continue enhancing security resources and to work with the union on collaborations, while offering clearer reporting steps for players who face online threats.
- Participants discussed pursuing accountability from social platforms, streamlining coordination among team security, league security and law enforcement, and longer‑term replay or last‑two‑minute reporting options that cannot be implemented this season.
- Commissioner Cathy Engelbert acknowledged shortcomings in communication with players during the call, has exchanged messages with Alyssa Thomas, and now faces intensified scrutiny as her contract nears expiration.
- Players say threats have had a real personal toll — including death threats to Alyssa Thomas and racist DMs to Chelsea Gray — and they note existing CBA security rules and tools like the Social Protect app are unevenly used across the league.