Police are looking into a threatening and homophobic email that was directed at Breanna Stewart’s wife amid the New York Liberty’s participation in the WNBA Finals. The report was filed by a 33-year-old woman who categorized the email as aggravated harassment. Stewart confirmed the incident, explaining that her wife filed the report after practice last Thursday.
The email included hostile language, stating that the couple “don’t deserve to live and I hope you both die.” Stewart, who plays as a power forward for the New York Liberty, is married to Marta Xargay Casademont, a former WNBA player and member of the Spanish national team. The couple, married since July 2021, has two children together.
The New York Police Department’s Hate Crimes Task Force is treating the email as a potential hate crime due to its nature of targeting the couple based on their sexual orientation. The New York Post first reported on the threat.
Stewart expressed concern about the personal impact of the threatening email, particularly since it was sent to her wife’s account. “The level of closeness was a little bit different,” she noted, emphasizing their focus on safety for themselves and their children. She also stated that they reported the threat to both their team and the league, with Xargay filing a formal complaint with the police.
This threatening email arrived following the Liberty’s loss in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals against the Minnesota Lynx, where Stewart missed a crucial free throw and a layup that could have changed the outcome of the game.
In a conversation with ESPN, Stewart mentioned that the email arrived soon after the defeat, highlighting how some fans may take their frustrations too far. She referenced previous homophobic death threats aimed at her wife, indicating a broader pattern of harassment. They chose to report this incident to ensure awareness and safety within their team and league.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert also addressed the increasing hostility faced by players on social media before Game 1, emphasizing the league’s commitment to supporting its players and proactively addressing these issues. She underscored that hateful behavior has no place in sports and that the league would work on enhancing security and mental health resources for players.
The Liberty will compete again against the Lynx for Game 3 on Wednesday night.