The New York Liberty ended their 2025 WNBA season with a disappointing early playoff exit, falling to the Phoenix Mercury in the first round in three games. Despite opening the season with a franchise-record nine straight wins and finishing 27-17 — second in the Eastern Conference — the Liberty could not repeat their 2024 championship run. Their season ended with a 79-73 loss in Phoenix, where Breanna Stewart scored 30 points but New York’s offense faltered, marking a frustrating conclusion to their title defense.
Just days later, the franchise dismissed head coach Sandy Brondello. General manager Jonathan Kolb said Thursday the decision was less about wins and losses and more about positioning the Liberty for long-term success in an evolving league.
“This decision was in no way punitive, nor reactive, but instead rooted in being proactive—not based solely on the results of this season,” Kolb said. “We believe embracing this change will bring a freshness and energy to our group.”
Brondello, the winningest coach in franchise history, led the Liberty to their first championship in 2024 and posted a 107-53 record in four seasons. She became just the third coach in league history to win a title and not remain beyond the following season with that team.
“These decisions mark fork-in-the-road moments for organizations,” Kolb said. “You can stand still or you can embrace change and move forward, and my commitment is to keep pushing the New York Liberty to new heights.”
Brondello’s Tenure and 2025 Challenges
Hired in 2022, Brondello oversaw New York’s transformation from a rebuilding roster into a championship winner. Her crowning achievement came in 2024 when the Liberty went 32-8 and captured the franchise’s first title.
The following season proved more difficult. Injuries to Stewart, Jonquel Jones and others forced Brondello to use a record-tying 18 different starting lineups. The Liberty finished with the second-largest win percentage drop-off in the league from the year before.
After a season derailed by injuries and an early playoff exit, some might assume the Liberty’s decision was a direct response to those struggles. Kolb pushed back on that notion, stressing that the choice was not tied solely to the disappointing finish.
“It was very much under consideration last season,” Kolb said. “We won a championship, but it’s not about the result; that moment means a lot, but it’s about how we did it. We started to see the league change last season, but felt continuity was important then. Coming out of this year and seeing lots of change across teams, it made the timeline for a decision more tangible and actionable.”
Even with Brondello delivering the franchise’s first championship just a year ago, Kolb cautioned against using past accomplishments as the guiding factor in leadership decisions.
“You’re playing with fire if you make decisions based on the past,” Kolb said. “Our organization’s always taken pride in being innovative, looking forward, future oriented, and process-based. With where this league is going, we felt confident we need to evolve and move forward so we can continue to keep pace with the league.”
Kolb Stresses Innovation Over Results
Kolb said the Liberty’s shortcomings in 2025 went beyond injuries. He pointed to rebounding, physicality and spacing as persistent problems while also noting that the team’s statistical profile had slipped compared to the rest of the league.
“I think we want to get back to being who we have been, but also solving the problems that we still found success through,” Kolb said. “Our 3-point attempt rate, free throw attempt rate are dropping compared to the league. Our five-person starting lineup, compared to last year, is eerily similar in offensive and defensive rating and net rating. We were actually better net rating and offensive rating wise but dropped in ranking offensively, even though we scored more points per possession. That’s a sign of a changing league.”
Beyond numbers, Kolb also expressed frustration with how the Liberty offense sometimes bogged down late in possessions.
“There were moments we became stagnant late in the clock,” Kolb said. “That’s an area we have to address.”
Kolb: “I think our problems this year, not taking health into consideration, they’ve been the same problems…the scouting report is probably to be very physical with us…spacing has been an issue for us…we tend to stagnate as the clock winds down…in terms of being…
— Geoff Magliocchetti (@GeoffJMags) September 25, 2025
While stressing the need for evolution, Kolb emphasized that Brondello’s legacy remains secure.
“Sandy Brondello will always be remembered here as the first coach to win a championship for the Liberty, and what she accomplished here is everlasting,” Kolb said. “But it’s necessary to evolve into what’s next. I’m grateful for the relationship we’ve built the past four years and we’ll continue to have moving forward, and thank Sandy for everything she’s done for the franchise.”
The Search for a New Coach
The leadership changes extend beyond Brondello. Kolb confirmed that assistant coach Olaf Lange will not return, while decisions on the rest of the staff are still pending.
With Brondello’s departure finalized, attention now shifts to identifying her successor. Kolb said the Liberty already have a framework for the kind of leader they want on the sidelines, though he declined to share specifics at this stage.
“It would be unfortunate for me to list out qualities right now when that could inadvertently imply something Sandy was lacking,” he said. “What I will tell you is we have a very clear vision of what we want and are confident we’ll find it. When we find the person for the leadership seat there, we’ll have a forum like this to talk about their qualities, but right now we have a vision and we’re excited to get started.”
Kolb: “We started to see the league change last season but we felt, coming into this year, we wanted to lean into continuity. Continuity can be a catalyst…but seeing an influx of change, it made the timeline tangible and one we can be actionable upon.” (Negley) #WNBA…
— Geoff Magliocchetti (@GeoffJMags) September 25, 2025
Asked whether Brondello lacked traits the Liberty now need, Kolb avoided making direct comparisons but underscored the urgency of change.
“I’m not comfortable going into that,” he said. “We feel confident we need to evolve, be more innovative, more adaptable. That’s really important for us right now.”
Top Qualities New York Will Look For in Next Head Coach
As the coaching market continues to broaden with candidates from both the WNBA and NBA ranks, Kolb noted that the Liberty will not restrict themselves to coaches with league experience.
“I don’t think we want to limit our scope on a candidate,” Kolb said. “We want a diverse pool of candidates. These are opportunities for organizations to learn about ourselves from candidates, so we’re excited about the opportunity.”
Kolb added that the expansion of the coaching pool makes this search particularly promising.
“Coaching has changed so much over time, not only who’s come into league but who wants to come into this space,” he said. “In the past it was tough to find options; now the pool is much larger because of the growth of the league, storytelling and the caliber of players coming in. The pool is vast and it’s exciting.”
Kolb: “Coaching in this league has changed so much over years….in the past, it was really difficult to find options in the coaching realm…candidates are looking at this league as a stepping stone but also as a destination. The pool is vast because of the growth and…
— Geoff Magliocchetti (@GeoffJMags) September 25, 2025
Acknowledging the stakes of changing leadership so soon after a championship, Kolb emphasized the magnitude of the decision, calling it one the franchise must get right.
“We need to nail this,” he said. “If we’re going to make a bold decision like this, our players deserve to get the best, and so we’ll take the time necessary.”
To Kolb, the Liberty head coaching position represents both responsibility and opportunity — a role that comes with the weight of expectations but also the privilege of leading one of the league’s premier franchises.
“This is a place of ‘earned pressure,’” Kolb said. “Myself, ownership, and our players lean into that and aren’t afraid of it. We don’t need to sell this place; it’s a privilege to work here and have such a passionate fan base.”
The Liberty will begin the search for Brondello’s successor immediately, with no set timetable to make a hire.
