Sandy 'truly sorry' for saying Reese is 'protected species'

• ‍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
• 'Angel investor': Superstar Reese joins Brisbane WNBL bid

Australian Opals and Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello was on the verge of tears today as she declared “I am truly sorry” for saying Atlanta star Angel Reese was a “protected species” during Toronto’s WNBA clash against the Dream on Saturday.

Brondello, 57, was suspended for one game yesterday for using the Australian idiom to describe how she believed Reese “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.

"It has been very overwhelming, with a lot of love and also other things.

“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.

“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."

RELATED: Sandy Brondello's suspension has opened a 'can of worms'

The incident flared with 3:16 remaining in the fourth quarter as Reese drove to the basket, colliding with Toronto Tempo forward Nyara Sabally, who immediately fell to the floor clutching her midsection in obvious pain.

“I was pretty emotional with, with Nyara, her being injured again, and I made a comment that it's very uh, that Australians we say all the time, and unfortunately I, I should have, you know, taken a breath and realised where I am, in America, because I know racism is such a big issue here,” she said.

Brondello protested to the officials, believing the contact warranted a stronger whistle.

"Angel, she's a protected species," Brondello said.

"Oh, come on. You can agree. It's (expletive)."

Brondello publicly apologised to Reese on her social media channels on Sunday morning and also contacted Atlanta Dream general manager Dan Padover.

“I wanted to put that out as soon as I woke up, and I reached out to them after the game,” Brondello said.

“I thought that was important to the GM and asking to speak to Angel cause she doesn't really know me very well.

“(I) have a ton of respect for her and wanted to make sure that, you know, it was a heated, it was an emotional statement, and it's in a statement that's often, it's very common in Australia, and it wasn't directed at Angel. I'd never do that to any kind of player, and that's not the kind of coach I am or a player back in my day, and it was just unfortunate.

“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.

“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.”

Brondello revealed she had not yet heard from Reese but had spoken to Padover.

“No,” she said when asked if she had spoken to Reese.

“I spoke to the GM, I know Dan, and he has known me quite some time, so he knows what kind of person that I am, and I did reach out to an assistant coach I know too and right after the game and I spoke to Dan the next morning and I just kind of said I'd love to have the opportunity to speak to Angel.

“We're competitors, but I think she's an amazing player; she's a great player and, you know the statement, what the words that I said meant the best player always gets the calls. That's it.

“And so it was probably the wrong place, you know, I probably, you know, shouldn't have said that and have a lot of regret saying that, but it was never directed at Angel and it was never a racist remark.”

“Protected species” has divided two countries, as Americans and Australians have debated and argued over the use of the expression, with the United States mired in a highly charged political environment.

Reese, who is part of the ownership group trying to secure the 10th WNBL licence in Brisbane, has been a fierce advocate for women in sport and business since she entered the league two years ago.

"I think it's important for you to use your voice and advocate,” Reese said.

“I mean, sometimes when you don't use your voice, people think that you don't matter and you can just slap on the wrist with things."

"But when you do speak out on things, address things head-on, I think it's important to have change.

“And if you want change, you have to speak on it, and you don't let things just slide. That's how I've been my entire career.

"I think it's important to be unapologetically you. A lot of people don't necessarily have a voice and don't necessarily have a platform, and I know I'm speaking for those people."

"I speak for a community that believes in the bigger picture of things. I know the generation before and the generation after to come. I think it's going to be important to know that you do have a voice. Women have a voice, and it's important to use your voice."

"It might not always be what everybody wants to hear, but it's real. And these are important things that matter to me. And I'm always going to speak on it."