Liberty Hires Former Grizzlies Assistant Coach

The New York Liberty have added a former Memphis Grizzlies coach to Sandy Brondello's staff.

Feb 10, 2022; Detroit, Michigan, USA; The hand and shorts logo of Memphis Grizzlies forward Kyle Anderson (1) during the second quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-Imagn Images | Raj Mehta-Imagn Images

The New York Liberty have made their first acquisition of the offseason.

The Liberty announced on Monday that Sonia Raman will join the team as an assistant coach, set to work under head coach Sandy Brondello and alongside retained compatriots Olaf Lange and Zach O'Brien.

“We are excited to welcome Sonia to New York as we prepare for our title defense in 2025,” Brondello, set to enter her fourth year at the seafoam helm, said in a team statement. “Specializing in the offensive side of the ball, she brings a wealth of experience to our staff and aligns with our core principles of play as we continue to evolve.”

Raman is the de facto replacement for Roneeka Hodges, who took on a matching role with the Connecticut Sun. She spent the last four full seasons with the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies, the 14th female coach in Association history, a sisterhood that also includes Liberty legends Becky Hammon and Teresa Weatherspoon, and the first of Indian descent.

Prior to her time in the NBA, Raman was the head coach at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 2008 through 2020, winning the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference Coach of the Year title twice and becoming the Engineers' all-time leader in wins at 152. She also made an impact as a walk-on at Tufts before a leg injury ended her playing career prematurely.

"Sonia has made a huge impression on this group. I love her work ethic. I love her care factor for our guys," Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said of Raman in March, per Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. "She's got this unbelievable personality, we connected with basketball, but knowing our histories as families and growing up and world travels, it's been fun to develop a relationship with her outside of the lines."

Set to embark on their first postseason championship defense, the Liberty open the 2025 season on May 17 against the Las Vegas Aces.

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