The Atlanta Dream routed the Toronto Tempo 111-92 on Friday night. But the scoreboard quickly took a back seat to a fourth-quarter courtside microphone. Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello issued a formal apology Saturday morning after broadcast audio caught her calling Dream forward Angel Reese a “protected species” during a heated argument with officials.
Brondello addressed the fallout directly on social media. “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 wrote, adding that she was deeply sorry.
The incident ignited after a physical collision in the paint. Tempo forward Nyara Sabally attempted to box out Reese for an offensive rebound and was called for a shooting foul. Sabally suffered a rib injury on the play and had to leave the floor. While medical staff checked on Sabally, a visibly frustrated Brondello directed her anger at referee Toni Patillo.
Broadcast microphones picked up Brondello shouting, “Angel, she’s a protected species! … No, come on Toni… that’s s—,” according to court audio and subsequent apologies.
The terminology instantly sparked a firestorm online. In Brondello’s native Australia, calling a player or team a “protected species” is common sports slang for someone who gets a favorable whistle from referees. North American fans and analysts quickly pointed out the severe racial microaggressions attached to calling a Black woman a “species,” regardless of international colloquialisms.
Reese did not wait for the morning apology to respond. The Dream forward took to X before the night ended. Quote-tweeting a clip of the broadcast, Reese wrote, “ARE WE SURPRISED?! @SBrondello” accompanied by a clown emoji.