A former Acclaro Medical employee has been fired after a Los Angeles Sparks player shared that she received a racist text message from his number. Acclaro Medical also issued a statement, saying the company “sympathizes” with those affected. The news about the man’s firing comes amid the many controversies currently surrounding the league.
On August 24, Hamby shared a screenshot of a text message she said she received from an unknown person. The message included a racial slur and a monkey emoji. When she posted the picture, Hamby asked her followers whether anyone recognized the number.
It didn’t take long for loyal Hamby supporters and internet detectives to track down the person behind the message, posting pictures of the man’s LinkedIn and other social media accounts. They also found the person’s employer, Acclaro Medical, and tagged the company in the thread.
“Acclaro Medical is aware of the deeply disturbing situation on social media,” the company said in a statement. “Acclaro Medical sympathizes with everyone who has been affected by this situation. The Company takes this matter extremely seriously and is conducting a thorough investigation.”
Man Fired After Reportedly Sending Racist Message To A WNBA Player
After the investigation concluded, Acclaro Medical confirmed that the man behind the racist message was no longer employed. In a previous statement, the medical equipment supplier said it “condemns racism, harassment, hate speech and discriminating behavior in all forms” before saying the individual’s message doesn’t “reflect the values and standards of the company.”
The WNBA also issued a statement after Acclaro Medical finished its investigation, saying it stood “unequivocally” with Hamby and rejected the “racist abuse directed at her in the strongest possible terms.”
“We are committed to holding anyone who engages in such abhorrent behavior accountable, and this individual will be permanently banned from all league games and events,” the statement read.
Hamby Is The Latest WNBA Star To Deal With This
Unfortunately, Hamby is only the latest WNBA star to deal with racist attacks from viewers. According to The Blast, Las Vegas Aces player Chelsea Gray was sent a racist message following her team’s game against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.
Like Hamby, Gray shared the message online, and netizens quickly identified the reported sender, prompting his employer, Hilton Grand Vacations, to terminate him. “His behavior was in violation of multiple company policies and does not reflect our company’s values in any way,” the statement read.
The Aces also supported Gray during the difficult moment and said the team stands “behind those who have the courage to speak up for themselves.”
Controversy In The League
The message to Hamby came amid the current controversy surrounding the WNBA. According to The Blast, former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom has been heavily criticized since August 2026 after claiming to be transgender so that he could play in the WNBA.
Weeks later, Kanter Freedom showed up to a Chicago Sky game and got into a heated altercation with a veteran player, forcing arena security to remove him. The Chicago Sky also banned him from attending any future home games.
Why Is Kanter Freedom Wanting To Play In The Women’s League?
Cheryl Reeve wearing a “Trans Kids Belong” T-shirt 🥹🏳️⚧️ pic.twitter.com/Ag2SwWQ07K
— Ruiii (@sallywa16811191) August 2, 2026
Kanter Freedom’s antics are a result of what he characterized as the WNBA’s failure to clearly define who is eligible to play. The current CBA declares that only those who “are women” can play.
Before Kanter Freedom entered the picture, the topic of transgender women competing in women’s sports became a topic of conversation after Fever backup guard Sophie Cunningham said she was against it.
“I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men,” she said.
Since then, people on various sides of the debate have shared their thoughts on the matter, forcing the WNBA to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the topic along with ways to stop harassment and hate directed toward players.
