Sandy's suspension has opened a 'can of worms'

• ‍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 'truly sorry' for saying Angel Reese is 'protected species'

Sandy Brondello labelling Angel Reese a “protected species” has opened a literal can of worms.

Brondello, 57, was suspended for one game by the WNBA yesterday after saying Reese was a "protected species" during Toronto Tempo's WNBA clash against Atlanta Dream on Saturday.

The challenge is basketball is littered with animal-related phrases, idioms and racially-based nicknames such as Dennis “Worm” Rodman, Kobe “The Black Mamba” Bryant, “Swipa the Fox” De'Aaron Fox, “Big Dog” Glenn Robinson, Jason "White Chocolate" Williams, the latest cult hero "Cream Abdul-Jabbar" Robbie Avila, and of course, moniker of GOAT (Greatest of All-time), often illustrated with a goat.

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

Smaller players are often referred to as a “mouse in the house” when posted up by a big with the almost now obligatory “too small” gesture after getting scored on. It’s an insult purely to degrade an opponent.

Just last year, WNBA superstar Kelsey Plum hosted her third Dawg Class, a three-day elite training and mentorship experience for the best female collegiate basketball guards, in Phoenix.

If Brondello had called Reese a “dawg” or “GOAT” there would have been no suspension or apology, and therein lies the challenge of sporting vernacular.

Social media commentators have responded like a “bull in a China shop” as they smelled “blood in the water” but they have been “barking up the wrong tree” while Brondello “took the bull by the horns” and – “straight from the horse’s mouth – admitted her mistake by apologising.

Basketball "animal" phrases

• Mouse in the house: Small defender matched against a big.
• Bunny: An easy shot at the rim
• Snake the Pick-and-Roll: Weave back across the screen.
• Junkyard dog: Hustle defender.
• Pit bull: Relentless perimeter defender.
• Bulldog: Tough, physical defender.
• Dawg: Fierce competitor.
• Mamba Mentality: Relentless competitive mindset.
• The Big Dog: Star player or leader.
• Top dog: Best player.
• Underdog: Team expected to lose.
• Workhorse: High-effort player.
• Goat (GOAT): Greatest Of All Time.
• Take the bull by the horns: Face a challenge directly.

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.

This was a question posed on Reddit: “What does this dog thing mean in the US? Calling somebody a dog or having dog-like behaviuour is an insult here (in Germany). Sometimes these things are lost to me in translation and cultural differences.”

The answer given was: “It's pretty much the opposite of the connotation that you're thinking. Instead of submitting and following directions, it's more about the untrained, junkyard-dog imagery. A dog that would not let go if it bites you and is fearless in the face of larger animals. You can substitute the word "fight"; those players have ‘lots of fight’ in them and tend not to give up easily.”

Historically in Australia, calling someone a dog was a serious insult: a traitor; a cheat; a coward; disloyal; or in the criminal world an informer.

Context matters.

Other common animal idioms in sport and everyday English include:

• Elephant in the room: An obvious issue everyone avoids.
• Monkey off your back: Finally overcoming a long-standing problem.
• Wild goose chase: Futile pursuit.
• Dark horse: Unexpected contender.
• Cash cow: Reliable money-maker.
• Sacrificial lamb: Someone taking the fall.
• Bull in a china shop: Clumsy, overly aggressive.
• Straight from the horse's mouth: Direct from the source.
• Hold your horses: Be patient.
• Barking up the wrong tree: Pursuing the wrong target.
• Let the cat out of the bag: Reveal a secret.
• Wolf in sheep's clothing: Someone deceptive.
• Like a fish out of water: Uncomfortable or out of place.
• Busy as a bee: Constantly working.
• Sly as a fox: Clever or crafty.
• Memory like an elephant: Excellent memory.
• Smell blood in the water: Sense weakness and attack.
• Separate the sheep from the goats: Distinguish the best from the rest.

Much has been made of the “lost in translation” between Australia and the United States over what exactly is a “protected species” – for Americans it has racial connotations, for Australians it simply doesn’t.

The weight has been placed on foreign coaches and players to rightfully understand the implications of their language, but the WNBA is now a global league with about 50 internationals competing in 2026, including as many as 10 Australians; it’s incumbent on the whole league to recognise intent first, not the words themselves.

Brondello conceded the lesson was simple: emotion can explain a reaction, but it cannot erase its impact.

In a league where words travel instantly across cultures and continents, even the most familiar expression demands a moment of thought. “Look before you leap” – and, perhaps more importantly, for both sides it’s a case of think before you speak … or tweet.

For the record, many worms are legally protected species, but that’s a can of worms for another time.

About the Author

Peter Brown is the head coach of the Sydney Comets Women’s Youth League team in the Waratah Basketball League in NSW. He is also the assistant coach for the Comets NBL1 women’s team in the NBL East Conference. Peter is a 30-year journalist, starting as a sports reporter at the NT News in the early 1990s. He played junior basketball for the Northern Territory at national championships from U16 to U20 and for the Territory’s senior men’s team at numerous international tournaments. Peter has been a basketball fan since the early 80s, especially the NBA. Basketball is his passion — and his opinions his own. Email peter.brown@basketball.com.au with feedback. Any email feedback on articles sent to Peter can be published on basketball.com.au for others to read.