Earlier this month, Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello got in trouble for calling Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese a “protected species.” The WNBA promptly suspended her for one game, and the basketball world responded with chaos.
At first, Reese took offense to Brondello’s remark, reacting on X with, “Are we surprised?” In all caps, and she closed the post with a clownface emoji while tagging Brondello’s page.
Yet, Brondello has since issued a long, heartfelt apology to Reese. Now that she’s had time to reflect, how has Reese’s attitude toward Brondello changed? Quite a bit.
Reese Appreciates Brondello’s Apology, Grateful for WNBA
Shortly after the incident, with the heat of the moment still very fresh in her mind, Reese wasn’t pleased with what she heard from Brondello. Then came an emotional apology.
Now, Reese seems to have changed her stance on the incident. In turn, she’s appreciative of Brondello’s apology. Yet, she is also “grateful” that the WNBA didn’t turn a blind eye to what may have been a discriminatory phrase.
“First, I appreciate Sandy’s apology, but I also appreciate the love and support that I’ve had for the last 48 hours,” Reese said. “It has been very overwhelming with a lot of love and also other things. But I am grateful that the league did take action. There is no place for discrimination or hate in this league from anyone, from fans to coaches to players.”
“And I’m just grateful that we are able to move on from the situation and just play winning basketball. 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,” she added.
Angel Reese addressed the Sandy Brondello situation pregame: “First, I appreciate Sandy’s apology, but I also appreciate the love and support that I’ve had for the last 48 hours. It has been very overwhelming with a lot of love and also other things. But I am grateful that the…
— Kareem Copeland (@kareemcopeland) July 19, 2026
As noted, Reese has had many people taking her side on social media, and that kind of support has to feel good. Usually, Reese is getting dragged on social media for various reasons, but not this time.
Reese didn’t exactly say she accepted the apology. But does she have to say it? Her overall theme suggests she won’t harbor any extra hostility toward Brondello in the future.
Atlanta won the first matchup this season, 111-92. Reese’s Dream takes on Brondello’s Tempo on August 10, a game both teams may have circled on their schedules for different reasons. It’s the only other time these two teams match up this season, barring an unlikely playoff showdown.
