Caitlin Clark's former teammate calls out WNBA for suspending Tempo head coach over 'protected species' remark

Host of 'The Sage Steele Show' Sage Steele criticizes WNBA officiating and its impact on Caitlin Clark. She argues the league's mishandling of Clark and consistent no-calls for egregious fouls are detrimental to the sport.

Toronto Tempo center Temi Fagbenle went to bat for Sandy Brondello on Saturday after the head coach was suspended for the "protected species" remark made about Angel Reese.

The comment was made during the Tempo’s 111-92 loss to the Atlanta Dream on Friday night. Toronto's Nyara Sabally was called for a foul on Reese after an offensive rebound. As the call was being reviewed, Brondello yelled at the referees. Microphones picked her up saying, "Angel, she's a protected species!"

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Golden State Valkyries center Temi Fagbenle locks out Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike during the first half at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Wash. (Steven Bisig/Imagn Images)

Reese reacted on X, saying "ARE WE SURPRISED?!" The WNBA then issued a one-game suspension.

Fagbenle reacted to the suspension in a post on her Threads account and invoked Caitlin Clark, her former teammate when she was with the Indiana Fever.

"’Protected species’ is a figure of speech and I see nothing suspension-worthy with what @brondellosandy said," Fagbenle wrote. "‘Species’ is the unfortunate and touchy word of this well-known phrase especially in the US’ racially charged climate, but if she was saying it about CC (an appropriate comparison re popularity) there would be no outrage, now would there.

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Temi Fagbenle of the Toronto Tempo shoots from the line during the second quarter against the Atlanta Dream at State