Liberty GM: Call on champ Brondello 'proactive'

New York Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb says the decision not to exercise the option on former coach Sandy Brondello's contract was not a reactive one but instead "rooted in being proactive" based on the determination that "evolution and innovation is what is needed."

"These decisions mark fork-in-the-road moments for organizations," Kolb told reporters Thursday. "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 was the winningest coach in franchise history and led the Liberty to their first championship in 2024. This year, an injury-marred summer saw the Liberty fall in the first round of the playoffs to the Phoenix Mercury as the No. 5 seed.

Brondello was the third coach in WNBA history to lead a team to a title then coach no more than the following season with that club, though the previous two weren't fired.

Kolb said the move was not solely based on this season's results -- and that a coaching change was "very much under consideration last season."

"This is not a results-based organization," Kolb said. "This is not about not winning or winning. It's about how do we position ourselves to be at the top of the league in a real sustainable way as the league evolves."

The coaching change was made after multiple players -- including two-time MVP Breanna Stewart -- went to bat for Brondello following the Liberty's Game 3 loss to the Mercury last week. Kolb said that while they "pride ourselves in being a player-led organization ... there's a level of trust that leadership will make decisions ... and ultimately, the decision's mine."

Kolb said he has the "utmost confidence" that Stewart, 2020 No. 1 pick Sabrina Ionescu and 2024 Finals MVP Jonquel Jones will want to return to Brooklyn in 2026. Those three, along with nearly all WNBA veterans, are free agents this offseason as the league prepares for a new collective bargaining agreement.

There is no timeline to hire Brondello's replacement, Kolb said, and the organization doesn't want to rush the process. Kolb declined to give specifics on what the Liberty are looking for but said they have a "clear vision."

Asked if the next Liberty coach needs to have WNBA experience, Kolb said they wouldn't limit the scope of their search. The league has seen an influx of coaches with NBA experience in recent years, including Las Vegas' Becky Hammon and Phoenix's Nate Tibbetts.

"We need to nail this," Kolb 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."

Brondello, who had extensive experience in the WNBA as a player and coach, went 107-53 in four seasons with the Liberty. Her 271 career wins are the sixth most in WNBA history and among those to coach in 2025 trailed only Minnesota's Cheryl Reeve.

New York looked capable of a title defense with a 9-0 start in 2025 before injuries struck Jones, Stewart and several others. Brondello used a record-tying 18 starting lineups amid all the availability issues.

Kolb said the Liberty's problems this year -- beyond their bad luck with injures -- have been the same as in other years: They don't respond well to physicality, often have spacing issues and, especially this season, took a big step back with defense and rebounding.

"I think we want to get back to being who we have been," Kolb said, "but also solving the problems that we still found success through."

He pointed to, for example, the Liberty's 3-point and free throw attempt rates dropping relative to other teams, the former in particular being a hallmark of New York teams in recent years.

Kolb will have his hands full this offseason not just finding a new coach but also in constructing next year's roster. Only Leonie Fiebich and Nyara Sabally are under contract for 2026.

"We have a massive opportunity in front of us," Kolb said. "So do a lot of teams with the amount of free agents that are going to be on the board, and also our cap sheet is relatively clean. So this is a honestly probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many franchises."