Angel Reese Fires Back At Coach Over “Protected Species” Comment That Social Media Labeled Racist, Coach Responds

UPDATE: 2 PM, July 18

Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello has responded to the criticism and apologized to Angel Reese for calling her a “protected species.”

“Angel, I’m sorry. Last night, in the emotion of the moment after Nyara’s injury,” she wrote on X. “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.”

She continued, acknowledging the racial undertones, “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.”

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Angel Reese’s Atlanta Dream has started off well with a 15-10 record, but the team’s latest win may have been overshadowed.

Her Dream beat the Toronto Tempo last night, when she scored a game-high 23 points, yet controversy arose late in the game when she and Tempo forward Nyara Sabally ran into each other.

Sabally was taken out of the game after suffering a rib injury, but while Reese was still on the ground, Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello was caught on camera appearing to tell the referees that “Angel, she’s a protected species!”

After the Dream won, 111-92, it spilled over to X as Reese took issue with Brondello’s comments. 

X user @lifewithkeerose wrote, “Calling a Black woman a species…” and Reese responded by quote tweeting it with, “ARE WE SURPRISED?! @SBrondello .”

While Reese is suggesting the term is racially insensitive, social media has come to the defense of Brondello, who’s Australian. In the country’s slang, protected species refers to athletes who get preferential treatment from referees, whether it be missed fouls or overprotective behavior that benefits their stat line or team.

Either way, some fans believe Brondello should have been more cognizant of referring to a Black woman as a species, especially during such a racially charged time in the WNBA.

Brondello has yet to address her comments and was more focused on Sabally, telling the media, “She’s not feeling great at the moment, [she hurt her] ribs, hopefully not serious.”

Prior to the game, she praised Reese and her improvement as a player while trying to create a defensive plan for her.

“Angel is just so crafty. Her ability to anticipate where the ball’s coming in and her positioning to get offensive rebounds and putbacks is elite. That’s why she’s so good at what she does. I think she’s improved her moves off the dribble. They put her in face-ups too, and she’s attacking it.”

See the social media uproar below.