Aces’ Becky Hammon Sends Message After WNBA Coach’s Firing

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Rowan Fisher-Shotton | Last updated Sep 23, 2025 3:26 PM ET

As the Las Vegas Aces prepared for Game 2 of the 2025 WNBA semifinals against the Indiana Fever on Tuesday night, head coach Becky Hammon, fresh off a 30–14 regular-season campaign, addressed news that the New York Liberty would not renew coach Sandy Brondello’s contract.

As reported by ESPN’s Alexa Philippou just hours before tipoff, Hammon said, "I didn’t love it for Sandy, I have to be honest. 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."

Becky Hammon on Sandy Brondello: "I didn't love it for Sandy, I have to be honest. 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."
— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) September 23, 2025

Brondello ends her four-year stint in New York as the winningest coach in franchise history, posting a 107–53 regular-season mark and leading the Liberty to their first WNBA title in 2024 and their inaugural Commissioner's Cup championship in 2023.

Under her guidance, New York also reached back-to-back Finals in 2023 and 2024, losing to Hammon's Aces in 2023.

Despite past success, the Liberty struggled through injuries to Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones this season, finishing 27–17 before a first-round playoff exit.

League-wide, the Brondello firing comes amid one of the largest offseason coaching turnovers in WNBA history.

With Brondello and Seattle’s Noelle Quinn both removed from their respective roles, the Liberty and Storm will join expansion franchises, Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo, in searching for head coaches, leaving at least four vacancies for the 2026 season.

Front Office Sports' Colin Salao noted that over half of WNBA teams have changed coaches since last year, fueled by the league’s impending $2.2 billion media-rights deal and new expansion fees that have driven expectations and front-office investment in immediate results.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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