The 2025 New York Liberty met their end on Friday night. The Phoenix Mercury defeated them 79-73 at the PHX Arena, ending NY's title defense bid early.
After the game, head coach Sandy Brondello fielded questions from the media alongside All-Stars Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart. When asked why Brondello should return in her role next season, Stewart reacted immediately in disbelief.
The superstar's gut reaction was to ask, “What the f**k?” The reporter who posed the initial question shared that they weren't questioning Brondello's job security but relaying concerns of others. Stewart had Brondello's back.
“I mean, to anybody that kind of questions Sandy being here, this is a resilient group,” the 31-year-old began, “And she has our back and we have hers.”
Stewart built her case by referring to the various injuries the team dealt with throughout the season, which held players like Stewart herself out for extended periods of time.
“And the way that she continued to kind of, I don't know, deal with the cards that she was dealt, was incredible,” Stewart posited. “It wasn't easy for anybody, but she came in every day with a positive attitude and a mindset to put us in our best positions possible. And [put] our best foot forward.”
Stewart, a three-time WNBA champion, knows what it takes both on and off the court. A locker room that foists blame on the ‘next player' does not seem to be part of that winning formula.
“We're not going to be a team that points fingers,” Stewart declared. “There's a lot of us that could have done better this season. But we're still going to fight and show up for each other every single day. And I think that's what's the most important part, so, um, we have Sandy's back.”
The Liberty have important questions to ask themselves this offseason, from the extent to which injuries bogged their season down to what changes they want to make to their roster. Until then, their veteran leader clearly doesn't want fans or media blaming their head coach for their disappointing season.
