A WNBA coach used a phrase this week that no coach should ever use to describe a player. Sandy Brondello referred to Angel Reese as a “protected species” while criticizing the officiating around her, and Brondello spent the next 48 hours apologizing for it.
Brondello’s comments came in the context of an officiating complaint. She was upset that Reese was getting star treatment from referees. Whether that is true or not is a fair debate. The way she chose to frame it was not.
Calling a player a “protected species” is loaded language, especially about a young Black woman who has spent her entire pro career dealing with an outsized level of online criticism and racial dog-whistling. Even if Brondello was purely talking about foul calls, the phrase does not work.
Brondello has since issued a full apology. She said she chose her words poorly. She said she has enormous respect for Reese as a player. She has been coaching in the league long enough to know that phrase was not going to land the way she meant it to.
The WNBA has not announced any fine, but one is possible. The league has been much more aggressive in recent years about policing language around its players. That is a good thing. It is also a reminder that even veteran coaches are still learning how to talk about the star players their league is trying to build around.
Reese has not publicly responded to the specific comment. She has said in past interviews that she is aware of the criticism directed at her and that she does not spend energy engaging with all of it. She has been one of the most-watched players in the league since her rookie year, and her presence on Sky broadcasts drives real ratings.
The uncomfortable subtext of Brondello’s comment is a debate that has actually been happening around Reese all season. Some opposing coaches and analysts have argued that she gets favorable whistles because the league needs her on the floor. Other coaches, including several who have coached against her, have said that is nonsense and that her physicality actually earns her fouls that other players do not get called for.
You can have that argument without labeling a human being a protected species. That is the line Brondello crossed.
The good news is that she apologized quickly and specifically. She did not try to explain it away. She did not blame the media. She said it was wrong and she owned it. In a sports media environment full of half-apologies, that actually stands out.
Reese, meanwhile, keeps producing double-doubles. That is the best response of all.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
