Atlanta Dream star Angel Reese expressed her appreciation for Toronto Tempo coach Sandy Brondello’s apology while also voicing gratitude for the league’s decision to suspend the veteran coach following a controversial comment made during a recent game.
The situation unfolded on Friday night when the Dream defeated the Tempo 112-92. In the heat of the moment, after one of her players, Nyara Sabally, went down with an injury following contact with Reese, Brondello was caught on audio referring to Reese as a “protected species” while speaking to officials. Sabally had been called for the foul in the play.
Reese, never one to shy away from speaking her mind, quickly took to X after the game, posting “ARE WE SURPRISED?! @SBrondello” alongside a clown face emoji. But by Saturday, Brondello had already issued a public apology, and the WNBA stepped in with a one-game suspension for what the league described as an inappropriate comment.
In her own words on Sunday, Reese addressed the matter thoughtfully. “First, I appreciate Sandy’s apology, but I also appreciate the love and support that I’ve had for the last 48 hours,” she said. “It has been very overwhelming with a lot of love and also other things. But I am grateful that the league did take action.”
She went on to stress the bigger picture: “There is no place for discrimination or hate in this league from anyone — from fans to coaches to players. And I’m just grateful that we are able to move on from the situation and just play winning basketball. The WNBA is supposed to be positive and we are going in a great light right now, so I just want to continue that and move forward.”
Brondello, who is Australian and has deep roots in the league after 27 years, explained that the phrase “protected species” is something commonly used back home in sports circles to vent frustration about perceived uneven officiating.
She insisted it wasn’t aimed at Reese personally and stemmed from emotion over her player’s injury. “It was just unfortunate. I was pretty emotional with Nyara, her being injured again,” Brondello said.
She acknowledged the cultural disconnect, noting, “Unfortunately, I should have took a breath and realized where I am in America because I know racism is such a big issue here.”
Brondello emphasized her long history of positive relationships with black players and coaches, saying she sees herself as part of the solution. She reached out through the Dream’s organization to speak with Reese directly and expressed sincere regret. “I did make a mistake… But it was never meant to be personal. So, I am truly sorry.”
The league backed up its stance by announcing the suspension, reminding everyone that players and staff are expected to “uphold the highest standards of professionalism and respect.” Brondello will sit out Monday’s home game against the Las Vegas Aces.
For Reese, who continues to be a lightning rod for attention since entering the league in 2024, this moment highlighted something important about using her platform.
Heading into her third All-Star Game, she reflected on why speaking up matters. “It’s important for you to use your voice and advocate,” Reese said. “Sometimes when you don’t use your voice, people think that you don’t matter… But when you do speak out on things, address things head on, I think it’s important to have change.”
The incident serves as a reminder of how quickly emotions can escalate in competitive sports and how language can land differently across cultures. Both sides seem ready to put it behind them and focus on the game, with Reese emphasizing moving forward in a positive direction for the league.
