Not retaining New York Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello was necessary for the team to keep growing, general manager Jonathan Kolb said Thursday.
“These decisions mark fork-in-the-road moments for organizations,” Kolb told reporters in his first public comments since Brondello’s firing on Tuesday. “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.”
The Liberty won their organization’s first WNBA title last season, then got off to a 9-0 mark in 2025. After the hot start, the team finished 27-17 and were bounced by the Phoenix Mercury in the first round of the playoffs.
Kolb said the team needs to be “proactive” as it looks to the future.
“This is not about not winning or winning,” Kolb said. “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.”
Kolb said he didn’t have a timeline for hiring Brondello’s replacement.
“We need to nail this,” Kolb said of the coach selection. “If we’re going to make a bold decision like this, our players deserve to get the best, and so we’ll take the time necessary.”
Brondello, 57, is the winningest head coach in franchise history, posting a 107-53 record during her four years at the helm. The Liberty recorded identical 32-8 records in 2023 and 2024, falling to the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA Finals in the first year before beating the Minnesota Lynx last season.
Two-time league MVP Breanna Stewart was among the players to voice support for Brondello being retained, but Kolb said he expects Stewart and the team’s other stars would re-sign with the franchise.
Stewart (18.0 points game), Sabrina Ionescu (4.7 assists) and Jonquel Jones (11.0 rebounds) all will be free agents ahead of the 2026 season.
–Field Level Media
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