Angel Reese ‘Grateful’ WNBA Suspended Tempo Coach ...

Angel Reese ‘Grateful’ WNBA Suspended Tempo Coach Sandy Brondello Over ‘Protected Species’ Remarks

The Toronto Tempo coach’s comments about Reese came during a game against the Atlanta Dream

Angel Reese; Sandy Brondello.Credit : Brett Davis/Getty; Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire/Getty

Angel Reese is moving on, following Toronto Tempo coach Sandy Brondello’s controversial comments.

“There is no place for discrimination or hate in this league from anyone — from fans to coaches to players,” Reese, 24, told reporters on Sunday, July 19. “And I’m just grateful that we are able to move on from the situation and just play winning basketball.”

She added, “The WNBA is supposed to be positive and we are going in a great light right now, so I just want to continue that and move forward.”

Brondello, who is Australian, referred to Reese as a “protected species” while addressing officials during the Atlanta Dream’s 112-92 win over the Tempo on Friday, July 17.

Angel Reese plays the Toronto Tempo on July 17.Vaughn Ridley/NBAE/Getty

The comment came after the Tempo’s Nyara Sabally was injured during a play involving Reese.

After Brondello’s remarks came to light, Reese posted on X after the game, “ARE WE SURPRISED?! @SBrondello” with a clown-face emoji.

The WNBA issued Brondello, 57, a one-game suspension, which she will serve on Monday, July 20 when the Tempo take on the Las Vegas Aces. The league said it expects all players and staff to “uphold the highest standards of professionalism and respect,” per ESPN.

The former New York Liberty coach elaborated on her initial comment to reporters on Sunday.

Angel Reese.Cooper Neill/NBAE/Getty

“Have a ton of respect for her, but I wanted to make sure that [she knows] it was an emotional statement,” Brondello said. “It’s a statement that’s very common in Australia, it wasn’t directed at Angel. I’d never do that to any kind of player. That’s not the kind of coach I am or player back in my day. It was just unfortunate. I was pretty emotional with Nyara, her being injured again. I made a comment that, Australians, we say all the time.”

In Australia, the phrase is used to describe frustration regarding a player being treated differently than others.

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“Unfortunately, I should have took a breath and realized where I am in America because I know racism is such a big issue here,” she said. “I’ve been in this league for 27 years and, obviously, I never had any issues like this because these are all my teammates and I’ve learnt so much from the Black players that I’ve coached and that I’ve had on staff.”

Brondello said she has already reached out to speak with Reese, and that going forward, she will try to avoid using “Australianisms.”

For Reese, it was important to speak out regarding Brondello’s comments.

“It’s important for you to use your voice and advocate,” she said. “Sometimes when you don’t use your voice, people think that you don’t matter and you can just slap-on-the-wrist with things. But when you do speak out on things, address things head on, I think it’s important to have change. And if you want change, you have to speak on it. You don’t let things just slide.”