Becky Hammon: "I know Sandy as a very high-quality person'

• ‍Sandy Brondello suspended for calling Angel Reese a 'protected species'‍
• What Sandy Brondello meant by 'protected species' – Aussie sporting phrase at the centre of it all‍
• Sandy Brondello's suspension has opened a WNBA 'can of worms'

WNBA Coach of the Year and Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon had only praise today for suspended Australian Opals and Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello as she revealed:  “I just gave her a big hug when I saw her.”

Brondello, 57, is serving her one-game suspension against Hammon’s Aces today for calling Atlanta Dream star Angel Reese a “protected species” last Saturday.

“I know that's not where her heart is. I know her as a very, very high-quality person,” Hammon, who won the WNBA Coach of the Year in 2022, said.

“Someone that's filled with a lot of love for everyone, and so I know she's been, probably pretty tore up and crushed about the whole situation

“So she'll bounce back; I know she's resilient, it's just unfortunate.

“I mean everything that's kind of going around the league – I'd like to get back to sports uniting people.”

Basketball Australia declined to comment when contacted by basketball.com.au. As far as basketball.com.au is aware, no current or former Australian Opals or Basketball Australia representative has publicly supported or criticised Brondello or the decision to suspend her.

Brondello was on the verge of tears yesterday as she declared “I am truly sorry”  for using the Australian idiom to describe how she said the expression “meant the best player always gets the calls. That's it.”

Reese, 23, said: “I appreciate Sandy's apology, but I also appreciate the love and support that I have had for the last 48 hours.

“But I am grateful that the league did take action on what the situation had happened.

“There's 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.”

Toronto Tempo 33-year-old centre Temi Fagbenle, a six-season WNBA veteran, also defended her coach on social media, describing the phrase as a common sporting expression.

"'Protected species' is a figure of speech,” Fagbenle said.

“And I see nothing suspension-worthy with what Sandy Brondello said."

Fagbenle’s defense ignited more division and heavy criticism, especially from Reese’s fans on social media platforms, but it also garnered support.

It is a potential insight into why other players and coaches have avoided commenting, especially other Australians in the WNBA, given the sensitivity and intensity of the political climate in the United States.

“Protected species” has divided two countries, as Americans and Australians have debated and argued over the use of the expression – for Americans it has racial connotations, for Australians it simply doesn’t.

Brondello calling Reese a “protected species” is a term not uncommon in Australian sporting vernacular, and given America’s bastardisation of “dawg” or “dog,” the same can be said for people of other nationalities.

“Hopefully, you know, I've been in this league for 27 years and you obviously, I have never had any issues like this because, you know, these are all my teammates and I've learnt so much about the, from the black players that I've coached and that I've had on staff and, and I know I'm not racist,” Brondello said.

“So it's a really unfortunate situation, but I really, I wanted to apologise when I, whenever Angel's ready, I have reached out to their organisation, and I'm very sincere cause I never want that to happen to anyone.

“I felt mad at myself because I'm a part of the solution, not the problem, and hopefully I can have that chat and she, she gets to know me and my heart.

"Everyone else that I've coached in this league, they know that and know what I'm about, and you know, I'll try to, you know, be better as I move forward.

“I did make a mistake, and I'll try and keep my Australian thing, Australianisms, I suppose, out, but it was never meant to be personal.

“So I am truly sorry, and hopefully she's doing okay.”