The news that Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello is out of a job shook up the WNBA. Especially since she is almost one year past the Liberty winning their first championship.
Among those shocked is the Aces' head coach and former Liberty player Becky Hammon. On Tuesday, Hammon unleashed praise on Brondello for her coaching pedigree after her firing, per Alexa Philippou of ESPN.
“I didn't love it for Sandy, I have to be honest,” Hammon said. “She's just won a championship. She's won in other places, and I know her to be a quality coach and a quality person. Those are rare sometimes to get that mixture of qualities as a head coach.”
From 2022-2025, Brondello was the head coach for the Liberty. Along the way, she amassed the winningest record for any coach in franchise history at 107-53. In addition to winning the title in 2024, the Liberty won the Commissioner's Cup in 2023 and made back-to-back WNBA Finals appearances in 2023 and 2024.
Meanwhile, Hammon played for the Liberty from 1999 to 2006. Along the way, she played in three WNBA Finals (1999, 2002, and 2006) and became a three-time All-Star. Currently, Hammon is in her third season as the Aces head coach.
She has led the Aces to two WNBA championships in 2022 and 2023. In the latter year, they defeated the Liberty.
Becky Hammon and Sandy Brondello share a special connection
Besides just being opposing coaches, Hammon and Brondello were on the same team. From 2007-2010, Hammon played while Brondello was an assistant coach for the San Antonio Silver Stars. Ironically, it was the Silver Stars that eventually became the Aces in 2018.
As a result, both Hammon and Brondello made the transition from playing to coaching. Brondello played in the WNBA from 1998-2003. Among the teams she played for Detroit Shock, Miami Sol, and Seattle Storm.
Additionally, Brondello played for Australia's WNBL and the Australian national team.
