Angel Reese Amplifies 'Protected Species' Race Claim After 23-Point Win

Q: Is 'protected species' a common sports idiom or a coded insult when directed at a Black female athlete?

“Protected species” is best understood here as a sports-style complaint about officiating, not as a clearly established racial slur. But directed at a Black female athlete, it can still land as demeaning and racially charged, especially in the current WNBA climate. The strongest factual point is context. Brondello’s remark came immediately after a foul call involving Angel Reese, which supports the reading that she meant Reese was being overly protected by officials. That usage does exist in sports and in Australian English, where “protected species” can mean someone treated more favorably than others. Similar complaints are often made about star players in basketball, football, and baseball. At the same time, the phrase is not a standard, universally recognized sports idiom in North America. Because “species” can sound dehumanizing when applied to a person, especially a Black woman, the backlash was predictable. In a league already dealing with documented racist abuse toward players, audiences are primed to hear possible coded language seriously. So the evidence does not strongly support calling Brondello’s phrase a proven racist code on its face. It more likely referred to perceived preferential treatment. But it was also a careless phrase with obvious potential to offend, and once it was heard outside the heat-of-the-moment sports context, it carried a meaning far beyond a routine complaint about referees.

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 18

23 points and 12 rebounds from Angel Reese were overshadowed after she reposted a fan's claim that coach Sandy Brondello had called her a "species," replying, "ARE WE SURPRISED?!" and tagging Brondello.
The flare-up followed a late collision in Atlanta's 111-92 win over Toronto, when Brondello argued a foul call after Nyara Sabally went down with a rib injury and a hot mic caught her saying Reese was a "protected species."
That phrase is widely used in sports to mean a player gets favorable treatment, and the report says Brondello's Australian background reinforced that reading rather than a racial one.
The dispute shifted attention from Reese's dominant game to another WNBA race controversy, extending scrutiny of league tensions around Caitlin Clark, player treatment and online backlash.