Less than a year after Sandy Brondello led the New York Liberty to a WNBA championship, the team has decided not to extend her contract after their first-round exit from the WNBA playoffs last week. This now begs the question of who the Liberty will hire now that they have fired the coach who has led them to a championship.
Top 5 New York Liberty Coaching Candidates
Noelle Quinn
If the New York Liberty are looking for a head coach with professional experience, Noelle Quinn would make an ideal candidate. Much like Sandy Brondello, her team, the Seattle Storm, opted to not renew her contract after their team failed to make it out of the first round. She is now looking for a new job and the Liberty might want to give her a shot.
Teresa Weatherspoon
Teresa Weatherspoon is considered one of the greatest WNBA players of all time and was a five-time All-Star and played in the league for eight seasons. She was also the head coach of the Chicago Sky and another coaching candidate with experience coaching in the league. Like many former players, she promises to bring her insights as a player in her coaching.
Rebekkah Brunson
Speaking of former players who have ventured into coaching, Rebekkah Brunson could finally step into a head coaching job after her stint with the Minnesota Lynx ends this year, though the Lynx are still in contention in the playoffs. She has been learning a lot from Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve and her experience winning five WNBA championships could prove pivotal.
Sonia Raman
Raman currently serves as the assistant coach for the New York Liberty and was part of the championship team that won it all last year. With Sandy Brondello’s exit, it would not be surprising if the team decides to promote her to head coach, as she also has championship-winning experience as Brondello’s assistant.
She also has some head coaching experience, as she was the head coach for MIT from 2008 to 2020 and was also an assistant coach for the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies.
Briann January
Even though she is still an assistant coach for the Indiana Fever, Briann January is already getting some interest as a head coach. This came after Fever star Caitlin Clark praised her as she continued rehabilitating her groin injury, With the Fever, she acts as their defensive coordinator and her defensive mentality could be attractive to the Liberty.
Related:
“Paige Bueckers or JuJu Watkins”: Fans Disregard Caitlin Clark for Prestigious WNBA Award
’12 of Them!’ — UConn Star Paige Bueckers, Huskies Legend Breanna Stewart Celebrates National Title
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, basketball, and more!
