NY Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello let go one season after franchise’s first championship

The GIST: There was no shortage of WNBA fireworks yesterday, so let’s start with last night’s on-court Game 2 action with both best-of-five semis now even. The Phoenix Mercury overcame a 20-point deficit, forced overtime, and topped the Minnesota Lynx 89–83, while NaLyssa Smith’s career-high 18 points fueled the Las Vegas Aces’ 90–68 win over the Indiana Fever.

• And that was all after one coaching update rocked the women’s hoops world prior to tip-off. Picking our jaws up off the floor as we dig in.

😱 NY Liberty part ways with head coach (HC) Sandy Brondello: Four days after the Libs’ first-round playoff exit, Brondello was let go yesterday, reportedly for failing to bring back-to-back titles to the Big Apple. The NY front office put intense pressure on the squad for a repeat performance following last season’s inaugural ’ship, despite numerous injuries.

• Brondello notably had the Libs’ superstars’ full support after the team was eliminated, a testament to her reputation in the league. NY is reportedly targeting coaching candidates with NBA experience to take the squad in a new direction.

• On the flip side, the Seattle Storm (who parted ways with HC Noelle Quinn on Sunday) along with both 2026 expansion teams, the Portland Fire and the Toronto Tempo, have already inquired about Brondello. Guess she doesn’t have to update her LinkedIn.

🔓There are now four HC vacancies in the WNBA: Turnover isn’t new in the W (or sports in general) — there were a record seven coaching changes last offseason. But it’s worth noting a frustrating outcome: Following the aforementioned Quinn’s firing from the Storm, there are now no Black woman HCs in the league for the first time since 2020.