3 Most Likely Reasons Sandy Brondello Is Out as New York Liberty's Head Coach

The New York Liberty shocked the WNBA community Tuesday morning by announcing the won't renew head coach Sandy Brondello's contract. Her hiring in 2022 was the main catalyst in transforming the Liberty from up-and-comers to full-blown championship contenders, a saga that culminated in their 2024 title.

In her four seasons with the Liberty, Brondello's record was 107-53, which makes her the winningest coach in franchise history. She spent her first season leading a Sabrina Ionescu and Betnijah Laney Hamilton-anchored crew to a playoff appearance.

In 2023, the Liberty signed Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Courtney Vandersloot. Dubbed a superteam, the Liberty went on to achieve three more playoff appearances, including two Finals berth and a championship.

Just one year removed from winning it all, the decision to let Brondello go has shocked fans. Here is why the Liberty may have decided it was time to move on.

A Championship Defense Gone Wrong

David L. Nemec /NBAE via Getty Images

The Liberty won the 2024 championship and then seemingly leveled up in 2025 by adding guard Natasha Cloud via trade. They were the favorites heading into the 2025 season and started the year on a nine-game winning streak.

But that good luck did not last.

In the second half of the season, the Liberty experienced a skid that saw them fall from a top-two team to out of home-court-advantage range. This was in part caused by injuries to Breanna Stewart (knee), Sabrina Ionescu (toe) and Natasha Cloud (nose). In a tight playoff race, a four-game losing streak can do a ton of damage to your season.

While Stewart, Ionescu and Cloud were on the floor during the first round against the Phoenix Mercury, Brondello and Co. went down in three games.

Following the loss, a reporter brought up the 57-year-old's job status. Stewart and Ionescu took offense:

Given that, it seems a risky move on the Liberty's part to move on from the head coach with both potentially hitting free agency this offseason. Still, losing in the first round after winning a championship is a huge disappointment to a franchise that was a title favorite mere months ago, and those optics can't have worked in Brondello's.

A Changing WNBA Landscape

Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Liberty co-owner Clara Wu Tsai and general manager Jonathan Kolb

With the WNBA's CBA expiring after this season and the hope of a new one being signed soon, it's a good time for transition in the league. Not that coaches have too much to do with the CBA, but it's causing upheaval for teams in the league.

About 80 percent of players will be free agents after the 2025 season wraps up, as many players opted to wait for the CBA to be signed before making long-term decisions.

Add in the fact that the league is welcoming two expansion teams in 2026, the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire. Those teams will hold expansion drafts.

A lot of teams will inevitably look different next year. It seems like a good time to bring in a new coach and create a new playing system, given that the personnel might also be different.

Why stretch out the process over multiple seasons? Especially given that Brondello's contract was up as well.

Potentially Drawing on NBA Experience

Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Boston Celtics assistant coach Sam Cassell

The Liberty may have decided it was time to shake it up when it comes to WNBA coaching hires. Most of the top WNBA-adjacent candidates for this job are solidified in their current roles.

There are a few signs that point to the Liberty dipping into the NBA coaching pool for their next hire. The fact that owners Clara Wu Tsai and Joe Tsai just went through this process with the Brooklyn Nets means they are familiar with the expanded candidate pool.

There are a lot of up-and-coming assistant coaches in the NBA, and now that the WNBA is growing in popularity and paying coaches a lot more than in the past, it makes sense for an NBA coach to jump over.

Some names that frequent NBA coaching candidate lists include Chris Quinn (Miami Heat asst), Sam Cassell (Boston Celtics asst) and Johnnie Bryant (Cleveland Cavaliers, asst).