Mercury Coach Profile: Sandy Brondello

Sandy Brondello won 150 games in her time with the Phoenix Mercury, and in her first season, the team won a championship.

Jul 3, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Mercury have had 12 coaches in their history. Three of them led Phoenix to a championship. Nate Tibbetts has a chance to add his name to the list this season, as the Mercury went 15-7 in the first half of the season.

The Mercury won their last championship in 2014 after finishing with a record of 29-5. They won their third championship in history, and they did it by beating the Chicago Sky.

Phoenix's 2014 season was one for the history books, and their coach at the time helped them achieve it.

Sandy Brondello was the Mercury's coach at that time, and coached them from 2014 to 2021. Phoenix did well under her, as her first season was the historic year. Then, the Mercury were a consistent playoff team with her leading the way. They reached the 2021 WNBA Finals, but lost to a familiar foe in the Sky. Chicago won 3-1.

After the Mercury lost that year, Phoenix and Brondello decided to mutually part ways. Then, she joined the New York Liberty, the team she won her second championship with.

Before all of that, Brondello was a player who went into coaching. She was selected in the 1998 WNBA Draft, as the Detroit Shock picked her in the fourth round. She spent two years with them, and in her first year, she averaged 14.2 points, 3.3 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals. During her time with the Shock, she played in the WNBA's first-ever All-Star Game.

After her time with the Shock, Brondello's next stop was Miami. She was drafted by the Indiana Fever in an expansion draft, but she was traded to the Miami Sol. She spent two years with the Sol before joining the Seattle Storm.

Seattle was her last stop as a player, then she pivoted to coaching. She was an assistant for the San Antonio Silver Stars before becoming their head coach. They finished 14-20 in the 2010 season. Brondello later became an assistant for the Los Angeles Sparks before replacing Phoenix's interim head coach Russ Pennell.

Brondello's time with the Mercury was something special, and she won 150 games with them. Phoenix has had some great choices in their time, and when it comes to their success, Brondello is one of the first names that come to mind.

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