Why Sandy Brondello chose Toronto Tempo over Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings

The Dallas Wings ended up going with Jose Fernandez, but it seems like they were interested in Sandy Brondello.

Aug 28, 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 Dallas Wings recently announced that they would be hiring Jose Fernandez to be the next head coach for the franchise, wanting to provide stability to a position that hasn't had much of it. They haven't had a coach last longer than two seasons since 2018, which is not what you want for a head coach.

It was a bad lone season for Chris Koclanes, who only led them to a 10-34 performance. It took them some time to dismiss him after the season, with that move not coming until after the New York Liberty dismissed their head coach, Sandy Brondello, a year after winning the championship.

It was a little bit surprising to see the Liberty move on from her, but that put an experienced coach with two championships to her name on the market. And it seems like the Dallas Wings had significant interest before she went with the newly formed Toronto Tempo. She explained her decision to choose the Tempo in an interview with The Athletic.

"In Seattle, I probably could have had a chance to win straight away. In Dallas, there’s Paige Bueckers," Brondello said. "But I just felt like building something from the ground up, doing something new, and doing it in a different country."

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Nov 10, 2024; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; South Florida Bulls head coach Jose Fernandez watches from the sideline as they take on the UConn Huskies at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

Time Will Tell if the Wings Made the Correct Decision

The Dallas Wings always could've made Brondello an offer she couldn't refuse to be the head coach. And it was probably tempting for her to lead the next great superstar in Paige Bueckers. She's led players such as Diana Taurasi, Sabrina Ionescu, and Breanna Stewart to championships, there's no reason she couldn't have done the same with Bueckers.

Instead, the Wings ended up going with Jose Fernandez, who comes to the WNBA after spending 25 years at the University of South Florida. He was a finalist for the job last year before they ended up going with Koclanes. They now come back a year later to hopefully make the correct decision this time.

Fernandez is a great friend of UConn's Geno Auriemma, who obviously coached Paige Bueckers in college. That will help with the familiarity and transition for Fernandez, as he'll be able to lean on his friend to learn how to coach Bueckers, who is one of the easier personalities to manage. But he still has to design a system that best integrates Bueckers with people like Arike Ogunbowale, if she returns.

READ MORE: Jose Fernandez hire could lead Dallas Wings to surprise WNBA Draft choice

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