WNBA coach apologizes to Angel Reese for calling her a ‘protected species’ during game
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Sandy Brondello, who coaches the Toronto Tempo, took to Twitter and said that her words carried a different impact, namely for Black women in the league.
Angel Reese is once again having a stellar season in the WNBA. The now three-time WNBA All-Star once again leads the league in rebounds at 11.8 per game and is among the top ten leaders in steals per game. However, a rival WNBA coach is apologizing for using a phrase she believes crossed the line with Reese.
Sandy Brondello, who won a WNBA title as the head coach of the New York Liberty and is the current coach of the expansion Toronto Tempo, read a prepared statement on Saturday, one day after Reese’s Atlanta Dream beat the Tempo 111-92 in a blowout victory. During the contest, Brondello referred to Reese as a “protected species” after a foul wasn’t called on her for running into Nyara Sabally, who went to the ground clutching her midsection.
“Angel, she’s a protected species,” Brondello told officials during the contest. “Oh, come on. You can agree. It’s (expletive).”
The play was ultimately ruled a common foul and Sabally walked back to the locker room with assistance from trainers.
While the term might be common in Brondello’s native Australia, she promptly realized they didn’t work in the United States, especially in reference to a Black woman. Reese responded on Twitter shortly after the game, writing, “ARE WE SURPRISED?!” while tagging Brondello’s Twitter handle and using a clown emoji.
Brondello issued an apology on Twitter Saturday, saying she “used a phrase she shouldn’t have.”
“Angel, I’m sorry,” Brondello began. “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.”
In follow-up tweets, 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.”
Reese and the Dream take the court again on Sunday against her old team, the Chicago Sky.