The WNBA is facing another flashpoint after Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello was picked up on a hot mic referring to Angel Reese as a “protected species” during a tense moment on Friday night.
The comment came during the Atlanta Dream’s 111-92 victory over Toronto, after Brondello appeared to take issue with a foul call involving Reese late in the game.
In the closing minutes, Reese was sent to the line after drawing a foul while attempting a lay-up, even though Tempo standout Nyara Sabally was knocked to the court on the same play.
As Sabally remained down in visible discomfort, Brondello could be heard shouting: “Angel, she’s a protected species.”
The incident quickly drew attention on social media and Reese was among those to call out the Tempo head coach. After one fan ripped into Brondello for ‘calling a Black woman a species’, Reese wrote in response: ‘ARE WE SURPRISED?!’.
Brondello has since issued a groveling apology to the Dream star, writing on X: ‘Angel, I’m sorry. Last night, in the emotion of the moment after [Nyara Sabally’s] injury, I used a phrase that I shouldn’t have used, and I take full responsibility for that.
A rival WNBA head coach referred to Atlanta Dream star Angel Reese as a “protected species”
Toronto Tempo coach Sandy Brondello has apologized for the remark made during Friday’s game
Brondello later apologized, saying her anger had been directed at the officiating rather than Reese. “My frustration was with the officiating, but my words unfairly put the focus on you,” she said.
She added: “I also understand that my words carried an impact beyond what I intended, particularly for Black women in our league, and I’m deeply sorry for that. I’ve spent my career competing with, coaching and learning from incredible Black women.”
‘I regret that my words caused hurt to a community I respect so deeply. I have a lot of respect for you as both a player and a person, and I sincerely apologize to you, your teammates, and the Dream organization for my comment.’
At the time of writing, Reese has not yet responded to the comments. Instead, shortly after Brondello’s post, she re-shared a post on X which read: ‘So many young girls can learn from how @Reese10Angel stands up for herself.’
However, South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley – who was embroiled in her own controversy after clashing with UConn’s Geno Auriemma – was among those who commended Brondello’s statement. ‘A real apology,’ she wrote on X.
Other fans swiftly joined in. One took to X and said: ‘That’s a classy response to an unnecessary discussion. These WNBA fan bases are irrational’.
In recent weeks, the WNBA has been mired by multiple situations where players have claimed they have been subjected to racial comments.
Brondello took to social media to issue a groveling response to the Dream forward
The incident occurred when Reese was attempting a lay-up against the Tempo on Friday
At the start of the month, Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas said that she received death threats and had been called racial slurs in the aftermath of her one-game suspension after she made contact with her fist to Caitlin Clark’s throat.
In response, Clark took a stand against the vile social media hatred that she, her Fever teammates, coaches and opposing WNBA players get.
‘I’ve said up here and said before, the harassment, the hate, none of that is OK,’ Clark said at practice.
‘That goes for the opposing team we play, that goes for my teammates, that goes for my coaches. There should never be question of character. None of that is OK, and I don’t want anybody to ever experience that.’
