The news dropped early on Tuesday that the New York Liberty were parting ways with head coach Sandy Brondello. General Manager Jonathan Kolb stated, "We would like to thank Sandy Brondello for her everlasting impact on the New York Liberty ... We wish Sandy the very best in her next chapter."
This took some members of the WNBA community by shock. Over Brondello's four-year stint as head coach in New York, she had a 107-53 record — making her the winningest coach in franchise history. In 2023, she led the team to the Finals, and just last year, the Liberty were WNBA Champions — the first ring for the organization. So, it was hard for some fans to believe that after one first-round playoff series loss that they would give Brondello the boot. But here we are.
Kolb was able to give his piece during a press conference on Thursday. Maybe the GM's explanation will give Liberty fans a little clarity if they were confused about Brondello's firing.
"This decision was in no way punitive, nor was it reactive, but it's instead rooted in being proactive."
— New York Liberty Videos (@SNYLiberty) September 25, 2025
Jonathan Kolb talks about the Liberty's decision not to bring back Sandy Brondello as their head coach: pic.twitter.com/6PZRPOvo4C
The Liberty GM also stated, "evolution and innovation is what is needed...you can stand still or you can embrace change and move forward, and my commitment is to keep pushing the New York Liberty to new heights." When asked if the importance of evolution and innovation left him contemplating a possible coaching change before this year, he said, "It was very much under consideration last season." This means Brondello could have been out of a job months after bringing a title to New York.
Kolb went on to say, "This is not a results-based organization... this is not about not winning or winning. It's about how do we position ourselves to be at the top of the league in a real sustainable way as the league evolves." When it comes to hiring a new Liberty Head Coach before next season, Kolb didn't say much except that they have a "clear vision" of what they want.
Now, for Sandy Brondello, there's conversation regarding what her future looks like.
Where could Sandy Brondello end up?
In a press conference, shortly after Brondello was let go, Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve gave her opinion. She expressed, "I think Sandy is a heck of a coach, and I think Sandy will land on her feet like she always does and I am absolutely thrilled if I am Seattle, Toronto, and Portland that I was just gifted a championship-level coach."
It is seemingly very likely that we will see Brondello either with the Seattle Storm, who just let go of head coach Noelle Quinn, or an expansion team, like the Portland Fire or Toronto Tempo, next year. In fact, all three teams seem interested. The New York Post states, "According to a league source, all three have already reached out to gauge Brondello’s interest in coaching next season..."
The Toronto Tempo hired their General Manager, Monica Wright Rogers, in early January of this year, while the Portland Fire only just hired Vanja Cernivec as their GM a little more than a month ago. Meaning, Rogers could have been further along in the head coach hiring process before this Brondello news dropped. Back in February, the team had even stated that one of her top priorities would be hiring a head coach, "most immediately."
It will be exciting to see where we find Brondello next year, and if she is interested, how fast one of these teams can pick her up.