Liberty GM explains firing of Sandy Brondello a year after WNBA title

The New York Liberty fired head coach Sandy Brondello this week after a "thorough examination" of the franchise's direction, Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb said Thursday morning. Kolb said the decision to part ways with Brondello was not "punitive nor reactive" and that "evolution is what is needed at this time" for the team.

Brondello, the franchise's winningest coach, guided New York to a franchise-best nine-game start this season but the club faltered over the next three months and finished fifth. The Liberty were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Phoenix Mercury on Sept. 19. Sources told The Post that Brondello had signed a two-year extension with a team option for 2026 after last season's title.

Brondello's dismissal comes as the Liberty begin a search for a successor. The team is targeting a coach with NBA experience, Kolb said, and he stressed that the position would keep the team's core intact. "I have the utmost confidence that [Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones] want to be back," Kolb said, adding that the club has a "very clear vision" of what it wants in a new coach.

Breanna Stewart voiced cautious support for Brondello, praising the coach's leadership under difficult circumstances. "The way that she continued to kind of deal with the cards she was dealt was incredible. It wasn't easy for anybody. But she came in every day with a positive attitude and a mindset to put us in our best position possible and best foot forward… She has our back and we have hers."

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.