Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese addressed the controversy surrounding Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello's "protected species" comment before Sunday's game against the Chicago Sky, thanking the WNBA for taking disciplinary action and characterizing the remark as discrimination. Reese said there is "no place for discrimination or hate in this league from anyone, from fans to coaches to players."
The incident occurred Friday night when Reese collided with Tempo forward Nyara Sabally while battling for a rebound. Sabally fell to the floor and remained down in pain, but officials called the foul on her. Brondello, upset with the call and concerned about her injured player, complained from the sideline that Reese was a "protected species." The phrase is commonly used in Australian sports to describe a player perceived to receive favorable treatment from officials. Brondello is Australian.
Reese did not explicitly call Brondello racist, but her social media response framed the comment as an attack on a Black woman. She quoted an X post that read "Calling a Black woman a species…" and responded, "ARE WE SURPRISED?!" with a clown emoji. In her Sunday remarks, Reese placed the incident squarely in the category of "discrimination or hate."
Brondello apologized the next morning on X, writing: "Angel, I'm sorry. Last night, in the emotion of the moment after Nyara's injury, I used a phrase that I shouldn't have used, and I take full responsibility for that. My frustration was with the officiating, but my words unfairly put the focus on you." She also acknowledged that her words carried an impact beyond what she intended, particularly for Black women in the league, and expressed deep remorse.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Brondello explained that she contacted the Dream after the game and asked to speak directly with Reese because "she doesn't really know me very well." Brondello described the comment as a "heat-of-the-moment, emotional statement" that is common in Australia and was not directed at Reese personally. She said she was emotional after Sabally suffered another injury and used an expression that Australians "say all the time."
Brondello acknowledged that she should have considered how the phrase might be interpreted in the United States because "racism is such a big issue" in America. She has spent 27 years in the WNBA and said the people she has worked with throughout her career know what she stands for. "I know I'm not racist," she said. "It's a really unfortunate situation." Brondello added that she wants to be "part of the solution, not the problem."
Despite Brondello's public apology and attempts to arrange a private conversation, Reese had not returned that outreach as of Sunday. Reese thanked the WNBA for suspending Brondello and categorized the incident as discrimination, even as Brondello repeatedly explained that the remark had nothing to do with Reese's race. The WNBA did not publicly allege racial intent in its suspension announcement.
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions in the league around race, language, and accountability. Brondello's use of a common Australian sports expression has sparked a broader debate about cultural differences and the impact of words, even when no racial intent is present. Reese, for her part, said she is grateful the league took action and wants to move forward playing "winning basketball."