Coach Apologizes for Calling WNBA Star Protected Species

During a basketball game, a coach named Sandy Brondello said something mean about a player named Angel Reese.

She called Reese a 'protected species,' which means she thought Reese was getting special treatment.

Reese was upset and posted about it on social media.

The next day, the coach said she was sorry and that she didn't mean to hurt anyone.

This happened at a time when many women basketball players have been getting mean messages online.

The coach is from Australia, where this phrase is sometimes used in sports, but it still upset a lot of people.