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Angel Reese dangerously peddles racist conspiracy theory after WNBA coach calls her two words A hot mic captured Sandy Brondello calling Angel Reese a 'protected species' after a foul call, igniting a fiery racial debate across the WNBA world.
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The summertime is their time, and they're not letting it go to waste.Reese and the Atlanta Dream defeated the Toronto Tempo, 111-92, Friday night.
Reese finished with 23 points on 7 of 11 shooting, adding 12 rebounds.
She was dominant.
I'm not here to disparage Reese's play on the floor, because it was excellent.Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese talks with game official Tiara Cruse after a play against the Toronto Tempo during the second half at Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, Ontario.
John E.
Sokolowski-Imagn Imagesneed controversy in the WNBA, and it usually has to do with racism.
That's the buzz word right now.
Reese and Tempo forward Nyara Sabally collided late in the game, with Sabally suffering a rib injury but ultimately being called for a shooting foul.She eventually had to be helped off the court.
While she was still down, Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello came over to plead her case to the officials, and a hot mic picked up part of the conversation.
That's when Brondello called Reese a"protected species," thus sending the WNBA world into a frenzy because, of course, it was deemed racial."Calling a black woman a species ..
" one fan posted on X, to which Reese replied,"ARE WE SURPRISED?! " while also tagging Brondello in the post.
Here's the thing: This wasn't a racist comment.Come on.
Context, as always, is important when it comes to these things.
Usually, that's when common sense prevails.
Sandy Brondello is Australian.A quick Google search would've shown that the term"protected species" is slang over there for someone who gets preferential treatment.
Fans were quick to point that out on social media, by the way.
But it fell on deaf ears.
It's used all the time in the NFL, specifically with quarterbacks.Patrick Mahomes is a protected species.
It's a running joke during NFL season because defenders seemingly get flagged if they breathe on him.
In baseball, veteran hitters and pitchers routinely get calls other players don't.
Veteran players can be considered a protected species.There's a reason Justin Verlander gets a call on the corner when some rookie doesn't.
Again, this isn't a new term.
It's not a racist term.
It's a sports term that has been around forever.Angel Reese of the Atlanta Dream looks on before a WNBA game against the Toronto Tempo at Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, Canada, on July 17, 2026.
The problem? Angel Reese is black, and the internet has selective hearing.
So, someone posts that she was called a"species," and then Reese peddles the narrative by reposting it with a sarcastic comment and a clown emoji.Earlier this week, a fan got fired from his job because he allegedly sent WNBA player Chelsea Gray a racial slur after a game.
She shared it on the internet, it went viral, and the man's job ultimately fired him.
That's fair.
If you're going to play stupid games, you're going to win stupid prizes.The proof was in the pudding on that one.
Angel Reese of the Atlanta Dream reacts after a 3-pointer during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Sparks at Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Ga.
, on July 13, 2026.
But this?This is a non-story that Angel Reese chose to breathe life into by pushing the narrative to her 740,000 followers.
Par for the course for the WNBA.