MINNEAPOLIS – Two-time MVP Breanna Stewart said Tuesday her wife received a threatening, anti-gay email after the New York Liberty's loss to the Minnesota Lynx in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals.

“Me and my family are definitely doing well,” Stewart told reporters on Tuesday. “We’re taking the right precautions.”

Stewart reported the incident to the Liberty and the League, while her wife, Marta Xargay Casademont, reported the incident to police.

“I think it was particularly frightening for Marta,” Stewart said.

In Game 1 on Thursday, Stewart missed a free throw that would have given New York the lead with 0.8 seconds left in regulation, and she later missed a layup that would have tied the game at the end of overtime.

The series is now tied 1-1 after Stewart and the Liberty bounced back in Game 2 in Brooklyn.

“Given that you're in the finals and everything, they said it made the most sense to (submit something formal),” Stewart said.

Stewart added, “There were a few other things going on at the same time” and that “the threats continued to increase after Game 1.”

“(The threat was) something she couldn’t ignore,” Stewart said of Xargay Casademont. “So the level of closeness was a little different. And I think we just want to make sure that me and Marta are okay, of course, but our children are the ones who are the safest.”

Stewart, a three-time Olympic gold medalist and four-time national champion at UConn, and Xargay Casademont have two children: Ruby, 3, and Theo, who turns 1 at the end of the month.

“There’s an invasion on a different level going on,” Stewart said. “(We want to make sure) this is not just a scaremongering exercise. And if it does, it is still highly inappropriate and unacceptable.”

The incident came as many WNBA players said they experienced a rise in racist, misogynistic, anti-gay and otherwise hateful behavior toward them during a season in which the league exploded in popularity and growth.

DiJonai Carrington and Angel Reese are among the players who said they received threatening messages.

“We love that people are engaged in our sport, but not so much that there are threats, harassment or homophobic comments,” Stewart said. “So we continue to inform the league about it. They care about it, but I also think we continue to use this platform to make sure everyone knows that bringing it into our sport and really into the world is unacceptable.”

A WNBA spokesman told The Associated Press: “We continue to emphasize that there is absolutely no place for hateful or threatening comments about players, teams or anyone associated with the WNBA. “We are aware of the recent matter and are working with league and team security and law enforcement on appropriate security measures.”

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said Thursday: “The hate speech and threats directed at our players are concerning.” She said the league will work with the players' association and teams on a “multidimensional” approach – “leveraging technology, prioritizing mental health , strengthen physical security and increase surveillance”.

“We know there is still work to be done, and as a league we are committed to listening to players and other stakeholders on this and other important issues,” Engelbert said.

Stewart said Tuesday that everyone has helped support her and her family “step by step” since Thursday and called on Engelbert and the league to “continue to make sure they're ahead of this … and prepared for it.” .” Action, so not even me and Marta (wondering what to do).”

“There needs to be some kind of protocol or something before the season because this year is when it really starts to happen,” Stewart added.