Atlanta Dream player Angel Reese has expressed gratitude for the WNBA's decision to suspend Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello, stating that there is "no place for discrimination or hate" in the league. The suspension followed Brondello's use of the phrase "protected species" to describe Reese during a game on Friday.
Reese addressed the incident prior to the Dream's game against the Chicago Sky on Sunday, acknowledging Brondello's apology but emphasizing the league's action. "I am grateful that the league did take action," Reese said. "There is no place for discrimination or hate in this league from anyone, from fans to coaches to players."
Brondello's comment occurred during a game when she expressed frustration with officiating after a collision that left Tempo forward Nyara Sabally injured. Brondello, who is Australian, stated that "protected species" is a common expression in Australian sports used to describe a player who receives favorable treatment from officials. She indicated that her frustration was directed at the referees and not intended as a racial comment about Reese.
In her apology, Brondello stated, "My frustration was with the officiating, but my words unfairly put the focus on you." She later 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." Brondello also attempted to speak with Reese directly to explain herself.
Despite Brondello's explanations and apologies, Reese framed the comment as an act of discrimination and hate. She shared a social media post that interpreted the phrase as an attack on a Black woman and responded with "ARE WE SURPRISED?!" alongside a clown emoji. Reese's remarks on Sunday continued this framing, aligning the incident with broader issues of discrimination within the league.
Brondello, a veteran of the WNBA for 27 years, maintained that she is not racist and that the situation was unfortunate. She expressed a desire to be "part of the solution, not the problem" and hoped for a conversation with Reese to help the player understand her intentions.
Separately, WNBA player Brianna Turner suggested that the league should consider boycotting "USA 250" patches for the All-Star Game in response to the incident. The context surrounding Brondello's comment, including its common usage in Australian sports and Brondello's assertion that it was not racially motivated, has been a point of discussion, though Reese has focused on the impact of the words and the WNBA's disciplinary response.