On a night where Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark made history becoming the first player to have a 45-point and 10-assist game, Atlanta Dream star Angel Reese was also doing her thing north of the border. Reese led the now surging Dream (winners of four straight) to a 111-92 win over the Toronto Tempo.
In the game Reese, the rebounding savant tallied 23 points, 12 rebounds, two assists and three steals on (7-11) shooting from the field and (9-11) from the free throw line. Reese’s constant activity and aggressive play on both ends drew the ire of Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello who was heard calling the former LSU Tigers legend a “protected species” as the team’s went to timeout in the second half.
Reese Tags Brondello In Social Media Post
In the aftermath of Brondello’s comments a fan posted this on X…
“Calling a Black woman a species,” to which Reese captioned in a retweet saying “ARE WE SURPRISED,” while also tagging Brondello.
Brondello Apologizes
In a post following her insensitive comments about Reese the three-time All-Star, Brondello had plenty to say.
“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,” Brondello said Saturday afternoon in a lengthy social media post. “My frustration was with the officiating, but my words unfairly put the focus on you. 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.”
Fans Chime In On The Matter
Brondello’s comments quickly drew a rise from social media where fans shared their varying opinions on the matter.
“White people LOVE tellin us how to feel, react to racism. shut the fuck up, we not in australia either,” a fan said.
“She apologized bc she knew it was racist and out of line,” another fan said.
“Sandy Brondello owned her mistake immediately. Accountability matters, and her apology to Angel Reese was sincere and necessary,” someone else replied.
“Absolute BS. What she said is normal nomenclature in Australia. Angel Reese should be the one apologizing. The inmates run the asylum in the WNBA,” another fan mentioned.
“The WNBA continues to face intense conversations around language, respect, and fairness. Acknowledging mistakes and taking accountability is an important part of the game’s growth,” another fan quipped.
“The biggest controversy in the WNBA is its existence,” a person commented.
“Angel is great rebounder but often gets away with fouls when she does, so I agree with that she has a good whistle,” a fan spewed.
Fan Says Black Women Of WNBA Are Easily Offended
One fan expressed their outrage that anytime a Black player gets offended someone non-Black has to answer for it.
“I’m so sick of everyone having to walk on eggshells around Black people, especially in the WNBA,” one fan lamented. “Her comment wasn’t racist.”
Plenty of fans defended Brondello for using the “protected species” phrase which is supposedly a commonly used term in Australian sports circles, referring to star players who get the referees’ special protection.
Reese Has Been Playing Well
Despite being called out of her name on Friday night, Reese has been very good this season. She currently leads the WNBA in double-doubles after recording her 17th of the year with Friday’s 23-point, 11-rebounds performance. Now in her third WNBA season and her first with the Atlanta Dream, she is averaging a very solid 15.7 points and 11.8 rebounds per game.
Reese has provided the Dream with a toughness and grit the team lacked prior to her arrival.
