Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello served a one-game suspension on Monday after the WNBA disciplined her for what the league described as an “inappropriate comment” during Friday’s game against Atlanta Dream‘s Angel Reese.
The suspension kept Brondello off the sidelines for Toronto’s matchup against the Las Vegas Aces, where her team fell 109-83.
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The incident stemmed from a comment Brondello made about Reese while expressing frustration with the officiating. League officials reportedly overheard Brondello refer to Reese as a “protected species,” leading to disciplinary action.
Brondello later accepted responsibility for her choice of words and apologized to Reese.
Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello reacts on the sideline during the game against the Atlanta DreamDale Zanine – IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Following Monday’s game, Aces head coach Becky Hammon was asked about Brondello’s suspension and offered her support for the veteran coach.
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“I just gave her a big hug when I saw her. I know that’s not where her heart is. I know her as a very, very high-quality person. Someone who’s filled with a lot of love for everyone,” Hammon said. “She’ll bounce back. I know she’s resilient. It’s just unfortunate, everything that’s going around the league. I’d like to get back to sports uniting people.”
Earlier on Sunday, Brondello addressed the situation publicly and explained that the phrase is commonly used in Australian sports to describe a player who appears to receive favorable calls from officials.
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She said it was never intended as a racist remark, though the WNBA still moved forward with the suspension. Brondello is in her first season as head coach of the Tempo after previous stops with the Phoenix Mercury and New York Liberty.
She spent eight seasons with Phoenix before taking over in New York, winning a WNBA championship with both franchises. She remains one of just three active WNBA head coaches to have won league titles.
Meanwhile, Reese acknowledged Brondello’s apology and said she appreciated the coach reaching out following the incident. She also credited the WNBA for responding quickly once the matter came to light.
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Reese admitted the previous 48 hours had been difficult but said the support she received throughout the process meant a lot. She added that there is no place for discrimination or hate in the league, whether it comes from fans, coaches or players.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jul 21, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
