Controversy erupted Friday night during the fourth quarter of the Atlanta Dream’s matchup against the Toronto Tempo.
With just over three minutes remaining and the Tempo trailing by 12 points, head coach Sandy Brondello made a remark toward Dream forward Angel Reese after she expressed frustration over a play that left Nyara Sabally injured.
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A hot mic caught Brondello yelling toward Reese that she was a “protected species.”
Reese’s Reaction
Reese responded to Brondello’s comments after the game on social media, even tagging her in the post.
“ARE WE SURPRISED?!” Reese wrote on X while tagging Brondello and adding a clown emoji. The post quickly went viral, garnering more than one million views.
Brondello Issues Apology
After receiving significant backlash for the remark, which quickly went viral across social media, Brondello issued a public apology to Reese and the Dream.
“Angel, I’m sorry. 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,” Brondello said.
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“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.”
The Tempo reposted Brondello’s apology, while the WNBA has yet to comment on the remarks. The Tempo will return to action Monday night against the Las Vegas Aces, while Reese and the Dream will face her former team, the Chicago Sky, on Sunday.
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