WNBA coaching is often framed as a tight-knit camaraderie. Competition lives, and dies, on the court. Respect is mutual and well-advertised. However, it’s safe to say that the New York Liberty’s Sandy Brondello and Minnesota Lynx’s Cheryl Reeve are a bit tired of eyeing each other from the sidelines.
Last time the coaches met in a dual-elimination game, their rosters looked different. Liberty supernovas Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu, proudly donning Team USA jerseys, were taking their orders from Reeve. Brondello and her Australian pack perched on the opposite sideline. As experienced as the Opals were, their talent paled in comparison to the red, white and blue. Reeve and Team USA blazed towards the gold medal game, while Brondello and the Aussies fell into bronze. Not even three months later, Brondello found herself matched up with the WNBA Coach of the Year once again.
Forward thinking
The untrained eye may discredit Brondello’s coaching feats under the context…
