Sandy Brondello, the coach of the WNBA's Toronto Tempo, was recently suspended for one game after a comment she made about player Angel Reese during a recent game.
Brondello called Reese a 'protected species' after she disagreed with a foul call.
Sandy Brondello apologizes for calling Angel Reese a 'protected species' in latest WNBA controversy https://t.co/79ERR808j6 pic.twitter.com/kodb7BRcKs
— New York Post (@nypost) July 18, 2026
Sandy Brondello is apologizing — but will still face a one-game ban — for a controversial comment she was caught making about Dream star Angel Reese.
During Atlanta’s 111-92 win over Brondello’s Tempo on Friday night, the Toronto head coach was heard calling Reese a “protected species” after the bench boss disagreed with a foul call.
The WNBA announced Saturday evening that it had suspended Brondello for the “inappropriate comment.”
“The WNBA expects all coaches and team personnel to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and respect that are fundamental to our league,” the league said in its statement.
On Saturday before the suspension was handed down, Brondello, the former WNBA champion Liberty head coach, was apologetic.
Compare how swiftly the WNBA acted to suspend Brondello after she offended Reese, while it took public outcry to get a player, Alyssa Thomas, suspended after a flagrant foul against Caitlin Clark.
Brondello said she reached out to Reese after the game.
Sandy Brondello said she reached out to Angel Reese immediately after the game. Here is Brondello’s full statement on being suspended and the backlash surrounding her comments during the Dream v Tempo game https://t.co/TQmO1t4I6F pic.twitter.com/o36ck7pAPp
— Hoop There It Is (@HoopThereItIs__) July 19, 2026
"I wanted to put that out, as soon as I woke up and I reached out to the ... GM, and asked him to speak to Angel. Because she doesn't really know me very well, I have a ton of respect for her," Brondello said.
"It was an emotional statement and it's in a statement that's common in Australia, and it wasn't direct at Angel, and I'd never to that to any player, that's not the kind of coach I am," she continued.
It was not a racist statement, of course.
Reese also spoke, and said she's appreciative of the apology.
Angel Reese shared a statement regarding Sandy Brondello and the incident on Friday.
— Malik Brown (@_MalikATL) July 19, 2026
Says she’s appreciative of Sandy’s apology, but also of the support of her from others the past 24 hours
Brondello was suspended for one game pic.twitter.com/xyJxAYFzm4
"First, I appreciate Sandy's apology, but I also appreciate the love and support that I have had for the last 48 hours," Reese said. "It's been very overwhelming. A lot of love and also other things, but I am grateful that the league did take action on the situation that had happened."
Centering the emotions and sensibilities of feminist women is destroying free speech and American culture. The WNBA is normalizing cultural standards that are unsustainable. Apologies and suspensions because Angel Reese has the vocabulary and logic of a child. https://t.co/DwxqAM56m0
— Jason Whitlock (@jasonwhitlock) July 19, 2026
As this writer pointed out earlier, women across all age groups think 'hate speech' is prohibited by the Constitution. It's not, and what Brondello said was not racist nor hate speech.
Even after being advised of the context of what Sandy said, Angel Reese is still playing the victim.#WNBA https://t.co/HQVVNY6A4U
— Damian Arsenis (@DamianArsenis) July 19, 2026
Did we expect otherwise?