Seven Suggestions for Liberty's Next Head Coach

The New York Liberty is looking for a new leader to hold its torch.

Less than a year after parading into Lower Manhattan, the Liberty bid farewell to one of the most prominent championship architects by opting not to renew the contract of head coach Sandy Brondello. A statement from the team indicates that the search for Brondello's successor will begin immediately as the WNBA Playoffs carry on without its participation, having dropped a three-game set to the Phoenix Mercury in the opening round.

Potentially armed with the services of famed "big three" Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart and talented depth stars depending on how the post-collective bargaining agreement talks go, the Liberty should carry one of the most sought-after head coaching vacancies in recent WNBA memory.

By releasing the accomplished Brondello just one year after hoisting the WNBA Finals' trophy, the Liberty has sent a message that larger feats are required for longevity and have likely gone into the process with a firm plan on the horizon.

With all that in mind, Liberty on SI writers compile a preliminary list below:

Kelly Graves

Could the Liberty literally get their Ducks in a row? If the Liberty opts to go back to school, one of the top possibilities could be Graves, who oversaw the college days of current seafoam savants Sabrina Ionescu and Nyara Sabally.

Graves is under contract with Oregon's women's program through 2029, but he's an intriguing option on the college level, especially considering the Eugene-to-Brooklyn pipeline: the two sides engaged in a sterling partnership earlier this spring when Matthew Knight Arena hosted a Liberty exhibition game and Graves has been a relative mainstay in seafoam seating during this recent run of prosperity.

Ionescu, who worked with Graves to bring the Ducks program to unprecedented heights before their best shot at a championship was wiped out in 2020, is one of the countless free agents on the Liberty ledger. While all signs hint at her sticking around—at least those before the Brondello departure—bringing in one of her top mentors would be a sterling selling point. Graves could also do some good work with Sabally, whose follow-up to breakout performance in last year's WNBA Finals was interrupted by injury at several points last season.— Geoff Magliocchetti

Roneeka Hodges

Promoting from within can be powerful, but dinner might get awkward if the Liberty went with Brondello's husband and assistant coach Olaf Lange. The continuity, instead, may be in Connecticut.

Hodges, an assistant during the 2024 championship run, represents continuity and fresh perspective at the same time. Currently the associate head coach of the Connecticut Sun, Hodges has earned respect in the Liberty locker room for her preparation, communication, and ability to maximize player strengths.

Hodges joined Brondello’s Liberty staff in 2022, where she played an important role up to the team’s run to a championship. Following the 2024 championship season, she was hired by the Sun and soon promoted to associate head coach. Bringing back Hodges would ensure a smoother transition for a roster built to win now, minimizing disruption while injecting her own leadership style.— Kenny Saint-Vil

Briann January

A WNBA champion and five-time All-Defensive Team selection during her 14-year playing career, January is currently serving as an assistant with the Indiana Fever, which has overcome a plethora of injuries to stand among the WNBA's current final four.

January brings a defensive-minded philosophy, toughness, and credibility that players immediately respect. Her experience as both a floor leader in the WNBA and now as a teacher of the game position her well to transition into a head coaching role.

For the Liberty, she could provide the tactical edge and defensive identity needed to complement the team’s offensive firepower.— Kenny Saint-Vil

Sonia Raman

Hiring from within may seem like a convoluted concept considering what has transpired, but it shouldn't be forgotten that the Liberty are less than a calendar year removed from a championship.

Raman wasn't part of the cause at that point but her hiring was well-applauded over the offseason. She has some of the more tenured credentials among potential candidates, spending over a decade at the helm of MIT's women's program before joining Taylor Jenkins' NBA staff with the Memphis Grizzlies. All the while, Raman developed a reputation as one of the better analytical minds in the game, which made her a desired entrant in the Liberty's championship defense.

Time will tell if New York opts to fully start from scratch as the "Big Three" era moves forward, but keeping a talent like Raman on board likely wouldn't have many dissenters.

Kristi Toliver

Third time's the charm?

The Liberty partly relied on talents from the 2019 Washington Mystics in their own championship defense, trading for Natasha Cloud and signing Emma Meesseman in-season. While those additions didn't yield the desired results, Toliver could well be the missing link after she played a role in New York's recent demise, as she currently serves as the Mercury's associate head coach on Nate Tibbetts' staff.

Toliver doesn't have the head coaching experience one would expect to see in a hire like this, but she does have four years of work on NBA benches, serving as an assistant with the Washington Wizards and Dallas Mavericks. Her recent experience with the game could likewise come in handy and develop a sense of trust with the current crop of New Yorkers.—Geoff Magliocchetti

Andrew Wade

Again, intriguing options linger on the New York bench if choose an internal option. Wade, another entrant from the 2019 Mystics and New York's current director of player development, is one of the top names to keep an eye on in that regard despite his status as a relative newcomer.

While 2025 was his first official year with the Liberty, Wade's resume is packed with seafoam collaboration: in addition to working with Cloud and Meesseman in the nation's capital, Wade was one of the first coaches in the maiden voyage of Unrivaled, the domestic three-on-three league co-founded by Brooklyn icon Breanna Stewart (briefly working with Betnijah Laney-Hamilton on Laces BC).

Once he was in New York, Wade became a trusted player confidant: he personally accompanied a rehabbing Jonquel Jones when she went home to The Bahamas during the All-Star break and helped Meesseman learn the seafoam ropes upon her late entry. Again, Wade's lack of extensive head coach experience may not make this the best time for such a rise, but his familiarity with the system and the current roster shouldn't be ignored as New York engages in a post-Brondello gamble.—Geoff Magliocchetti

Teresa Weatherspoon

A Liberty legend and Hall of Famer, Weatherspoon would bring instant energy back to New York, where she played from 1997 to 2003.

Weatherspoon coached her alma mater, Louisiana Tech, from 2008 to 2014 before spending four years as an assistant with the New Orleans Pelicans (2020-23). In 2024, she landed her first WNBA head coaching gig of the Chicago Sky for just one season. Weatherspoon wasn't out of work for long, as she later led Vinyl BC in Unrivaled.

If she were to take over the Liberty, Weatherspoon would need to surround herself with a seasoned, X’s-and-O’s-driven staff to maximize her leadership, energy, and player development strengths. Still, her connection to the Liberty brand and her fiery competitive spirit would resonate instantly with both the locker room and the fanbase. She knows what it means to represent the Liberty and would instill a culture of grit, accountability and toughness.—Kenny Saint-Vil

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