Angel Reese Accepts Brondello Apology After 'Protected Species' Remark Prompts One-Game Ban
Angel Reese has accepted Toronto Tempo coach Sandy Brondello’s apology after Brondello was overheard calling the Atlanta Dream star a "protected species" during Friday’s game. The WNBA issued a one-game suspension to Brondello following the incident, which took place during the Dream’s win over the Tempo.
The comment, made by Toronto’s coach during the matchup, drew immediate attention and led the league to impose disciplinary action. Angel Reese, who plays for the Atlanta Dream, has publicly accepted the apology offered by Sandy Brondello. The phrase at the centre of the controversy — "protected species" — has been noted as a term that is common in Australia but that some observers say can be perceived as racist.
League officials determined the remark warranted a one-game suspension after Brondello was overheard using the phrase during the contest between the Dream and the Tempo on Friday. The sanction was announced as a consequence of what the WNBA described as conduct that merited discipline. No additional penalties were detailed in the reporting related to the incident.
Reese’s acceptance of Brondello’s apology was confirmed in reports that followed the game. The Atlanta forward has been identified as the subject of the comment, and the sequence of events — the remark being overheard, the apology, and the subsequent suspension — was laid out by league and team statements. The specific wording of the remark, "protected species," remained central to public discussion.
Observers noted the cultural context tied to the phrase, which is commonly used in Australia but has the potential to be interpreted as offensive in other settings. That contextual detail was included in accounts of the episode while reports emphasized the immediate facts: the comment was overheard during the Dream’s victory over the Tempo, an apology was issued and accepted, and the league imposed a one-game ban on Brondello.
The incident and its aftermath unfolded in the immediate aftermath of the Dream’s win at the Tempo on Friday, with the actions taken by the WNBA and the response from Angel Reese forming the principal developments reported. Coverage focused on the remark, the apology from Brondello, Reese’s acceptance of that apology, and the league’s one-game suspension.
Angel Reese’s acceptance of Sandy Brondello’s apology and the WNBA’s one-game suspension for Brondello conclude the reported sequence of events stemming from the coach being overheard calling Reese a "protected species" during the Dream’s win over the Tempo on Friday.