Angel Reese did not take kindly to the words Sandy Brondello used to describe her during Friday’s game between the Atlanta Dream and Toronto Tempo. Brondello made the remarks to referees after the third-year forward drew a foul late in the fourth quarter of Atlanta’s 94-87 win.
In a clip that’s gone viral on social media, Brondello appears to yell, “Angel, she’s a protected species.” Reese responded to Brondello’s comments by tagging her in a social media post that read “ARE WE SURPRISED?!” with a clown emoji.
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Brondello publicly apologized to Reese hours after the post. Here’s what we know about the incident and its fallout.
What does protective species mean?
Brondello is from Australia, and protected species is an Australian slang term for players or teams who get preferential treatment, according to CBS Sports.
Sandy Brondello apology to Angel Reese
Brondello issued the following statement on social media: “Angel, I’m sorry. Last night, in the emotion of the moment after Nyara [Sabbaly’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.
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“I also understand my words carry 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.”
Will the WNBA punish Sandy Brondello?
It’s unclear at this time.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: What did Sandy Brondello call Angel Reese? Explaining ‘protected species’ controversy
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