Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello addressed the media Sunday afternoon about comments made during Friday’s game versus Atlanta. Brondello will miss the Tempo’s Monday night match versus the Las Vegas Aces after the WNBA suspended her for one game without pay for “inappropriate comments” during the previous game.
After the team practiced on Sunday at the University of Toronto, Brondello started her scrum off with a statement:
“I apologize to Angel. I wanted to put that out as soon as I woke up and I reached out to [Atlanta’s] GM and asked him to speak to Angel because she doesn’t really know me very well. I have a ton of respect for her and I wanted to make sure that she knew it was a heated, emotional statement, and it’s a statement that’s very common in Australia, and it wasn’t directed at Angel. I would never do that to any kind of player. That’s not kind of coach I am or a player back in my day, and it was just unfortunate. I was pretty emotional with Nyara, her being injured again, and I made a comment that Australians, we say all the time.
“I should have took a breath and realized where I am, and what it’s like in America because I know racism is such a big issue here. I’ve been in this league for 27 years, and I have never had any issues like this because these are all my teammates, and I’ve learnt so much from the Black players that I’ve coached and that I’ve had on staff, and I know I’m not racist, so it’s a really unfortunate situation.
“I want to apologize whenever Angel’s ready. I have reached out to their organization and in very sincere way because I never want that to happen to anyone. I felt mad at myself because I’m a part of the solution, not the problem. Hopefully I can have that chat, and she gets to know me and my heart. I think everyone else that I’ve coached in this league, they know that, and what I’m about.
“I’ll try to be better as I move forward. I did make a mistake. I’ll try and keep my, Australianisms, I suppose, out. It was never meant to be personal. So I am truly sorry, and you know, hopefully she’s doing okay.”
At the end of the Tempo’s 111-92 loss against the Atlanta Dream, Nyara Sabally went down from contact defending Dream star Angel Reese. After receiving medical treatment and being helped back to the locker room, the play was not deemed a hostile act. Sabally did not return to the game Friday and was not a full participant in Sunday’s practice.
In the moment, Brondello expressed frustration with the officiating, stating that Reese was a “protected species.” The term is Australian slang for a player who gets a heavy whistle from referees, but fans quickly took to social media to express offence at the term, stating it has racial connotations.
Brondello reached out to Atlanta Dream staff after the game to apologize for the misconception and express her regret.
“I handle conflict immediately, I reached out after the game,” Brondello told media on Sunday. “I was trying to be proactive because I try and put myself in their situations, and I have been a player.”
I did reach out to an assistant coach I know too, right after the game, and then I spoke to Dan the next morning. I just kind of said I’d love to have the opportunity to speak to to Angel, because you know we’re competitors, but I think she’s an amazing player.”
On Saturday evening, the WNBA released a statement saying that Brondello would be suspended one game, serving that suspension during Monday’s game versus the Las Vegas Aces.
Brondello confirmed on Sunday that associate head coach Olaf Lange would take over head-coaching duties for the game, with assistant coach Carly Clarke also moving up the bench.
The Tempo had a lengthy practice Sunday afternoon ahead of their first meeting with the 2025 WNBA Champion Las Vegas Aces. Without Sabally, who will presumably be on the injury report, they’ll be down a key frontcourt player as they square up against four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson. No players were made available to the media for comment.
Now, Brondello says the focus returns to basketball.
“I still think we need to come together as a community and focus on playing great basketball and celebrating these great athletes that we have,” Brondello said Sunday.
“I made a mistake. I owned it, and I think that’s what you can do as a human being, isn’t it?” Brondello continued. “We’re all going to make some mistakes from time to time. It’s what you do with it, and I just know I have to be better.”
