The Toronto Tempo introduced former New York Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello as their new head coach on Tuesday morning.
That came after the Liberty fired Brondello just a year after she led the franchise to its first-ever title.
On Tuesday, Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports reported that Brondello selected the Tempo over offers from the Dallas Wings and Seattle Storm. Costabile reported that Brondello received a larger financial offer from a different franchise, but ultimately picked Toronto.
Sandy Brondello was widely considered one of the best available head coaches in the league. She has led teams to two WNBA titles — the Phoenix Mercury in 2014 and the Liberty in 2024 — and also served as the head coach of the Australian national team since 2017.
The Wings and Storm have both made their selections; with the former picking longtime South Florida head coach Jose Fernandez, and the latter selecting former Liberty assistant coach Sonia Raman.
In a press conference on Tuesday, Brondello expressed her gratitude for the opportunity.
“It’s an incredible honour to be part of this historic moment for basketball in Canada,” she said. “From my first conversations with the Tempo organization, it was clear we share the same vision: to build a world-class franchise that competes at the highest level, to create a strong and dynamic culture, and to root everything we do in clear and consistent values. This is a place that’s serious about doing things the right way – about excellence, about people, about community – and that’s exactly the kind of environment every coach wants to be part of.”
Brondello will have the unique opportunity of building an organization from the ground up. Last year, Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase found herself in the same situation, and ultimately won Coach of the Year en route to a franchise playoff appearance.
Per Costabile, despite Brondello turning down money for the Tempo rule, she’ll nonetheless be one of the highest-paid coaches in the WNBA, joining the Phoenix Mercury’s Nate Tibbetts and the Las Vegas Aces’ Becky Hammon as the three WNBA coaches known to be earning more than $1 million annually.
Tempo general manager Monica Wright Rogers expressed confidence in the hiring.
“Sandy is one of the most experienced and respected coaches in the world,” she said. “She knows how to win at the highest level – but she also knows how to build culture and community. She’s known for creating an environment where every player understands their role, feels empowered to lead, and recognizes how they contribute to something bigger than themselves. That’s what builds sustainable success. That’s what builds champions.”
