Former Mercury head coach Brondello heads to Toronto

According to ESPN’s Alexa Philippou, Brondello drew interest from multiple other teams before choosing Toronto and the team will make the official announcement within the next few days.

Brondello is a veteran coach, most recently at the helm of the New York Liberty from 2022 to 2025. She helped lead the Liberty to their first WNBA Championship in 2024. Despite the success she found in New York, Brondello’s contract wasn’t renewed by the team after its first-round playoff series loss to Phoenix this season.

During her eight years with the Mercury, she helped lead the team to a league-record 29-5 finish and a WNBA title in 2014. Phoenix qualified for the playoffs every year under her leadership.

As Brondello begins her new venture with the Tempo, so does the league. The WNBA is now expanding globally, and bringing a veteran coach on board underscores Toronto’s commitment to competing at the highest level. The Tempo are signaling their desire to establish culture, identity and competitiveness early in their history.

The Golden State Valkyries, another expansion team that just completed their inaugural season, have already set the bar high by becoming the first expansion franchise in league history to make the playoffs in their debut year.

For Brondello, who cemented her place in Mercury history and is seeking redemption after her sudden exit from New York, it’s a new beginning as she brings her championship experience from the desert and the Big Apple to Canada.

All eyes will be on the new franchise following this move, as other teams across the league monitor what comes next for Toronto.