The WNBA has suspended Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello for one game without pay after a hot microphone caught her calling Atlanta Dream star Angel Reese a “protected species.” The remark, made during Toronto’s 111-92 loss to the Dream, sparked immediate backlash over its racial implications and added another chapter to the harassment Reese has faced throughout her professional career.
According to Fox Sports, the moment came after Toronto’s Nyara Sabally fouled Reese following an offensive rebound. As officials reviewed the play, a frustrated Brondello could be heard shouting, “Angel, she’s a protected species!” The league subsequently announced that Brondello will miss Toronto’s next game against the Las Vegas Aces.
“The WNBA expects all coaches and team personnel to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and respect that are fundamental to our league,” the league said in announcing the punishment.
Although “protected species” has been used in Australian sports to describe an athlete perceived as receiving favorable treatment from officials, the phrase landed differently when directed at Reese, a Black woman who has repeatedly faced racially charged attacks.
Brondello apologized directly to Reese before the suspension was announced. “Angel, I’m sorry,” she wrote. “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.”
Brondello said her frustration was aimed at the officiating but acknowledged that her words “carried an impact beyond what I intended, particularly for Black women in our league.”
She added, “I regret that my words caused hurt to a community I respect so deeply.”
Reese appeared to address the controversy afterward by sharing a social media post interpreting the remark as racially charged. The incident follows years of targeted abuse against the WNBA star, much of it fueled by the polarizing discourse surrounding her rivalry with Caitlin Clark.
In May 2025, the league investigated allegations that Reese was subjected to hateful comments and racial slurs during a game against the Indiana Fever. A review of video, audio, and witness accounts did not substantiate a specific slur.
The suspension arrives as the WNBA confronts a broader surge in racist and misogynistic abuse directed at its players. Las Vegas Aces star Chelsea Gray recently exposed a racial slur sent by a Hilton Grand Vacations employee, who was subsequently fired.
