The New York Liberty's decision not to extend a new contract offer to head coach Sandy Brondello has sent shockwaves around the WNBA. With three teams -- including expansion franchises Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo -- seeking new leadership on the sideline, Brondello will have a chance to return to coaching immediately.
Brondello, a two-time WNBA championship-winning head coach, ranks second among active coaches with 271 career victories. There should be widespread interest in her services -- even from a team that did not really plan on making a coaching change, like the Dallas Wings.
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The Wings tied the Chicago Sky for the worst record in the WNBA in 2025. Even with Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers in town, Dallas finished 10-34 under first-year coach Chris Koclanes -- who is set to be retained, according to Front Office Sports' Annie Costabile.
However, Brondello becoming a coaching free agent could change the equation for a team like Dallas, which nominally remains in a rebuild but will soon face pressure to win before Bueckers can become a restricted free agent in 2029.
Though unlikely amid the team's intention to keep Koclanes, a Brondello-Bueckers partnership could bear tremendous fruit for the Wings, who have a grand total of one playoff series win since the franchise moved to Dallas from Tulsa before the 2016 season. It may be worth a phone call from general manager Curt Miller to explore the likelihood of Brondello swapping New York for Texas.
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