While the Seattle Storm became the latest side to appoint a head coach, the New York Liberty has yet to make any announcement on that front. The front office is still continuing its search, and according to reports, it has narrowed down the top three names for the HC position.
When the franchise fired Sandy Brondello following the playoff exit, GM Jonathan Kolb declared a ‘massive opportunity’ ahead for the side. And now with a new face in the office, they will look to live up to the promise.
New York Liberty Shortlists Three Candidates For HC Position
After firing the team’s winningest coach, the 2024 champions will now have to fill the position carefully to avoid criticism. So, the Liberty franchise is taking its time while other franchises have finalized their ‘bosses’. However, according to the report, the Liberty narrowed down the candidates to three for the post.
According to the New York Post’s Madeline Kenney, the Liberty have interviewed and considered former Nets assistant Will Weaver, Mercury associate head coach Kristi Toliver, and Rockets G League coach Joseph Blair. Though the assistant coach, Raman, was another candidate for the post, she chose to take the Seattle Storm’s offer.
Wishing Coach Sonia Raman continued success in her next chapter as the Head Coach of the Seattle Storm! pic.twitter.com/Ozo71awWos
— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) October 29, 2025
After interviewing many candidates, the three shortlisted candidates have vast experience in player development and coaching. Weaver worked mainly in the NBA with three different franchises and even assisted the Australian National team HC. Blair is another NBA coach who also worked with G League teams and has 13 years of coaching experience.
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Many saw Kristi Toliver as a strong candidate following her time in the WNBA and NBA. Moreover, she has been in the league in recent times, allowing her to see the development firsthand.
There is no doubt that the new coach will arrive with the weight of high expectations and early results. Coach Brondello, when she took charge, also faced similar challenges and was abruptly removed from her position. For the first time, she talked about her exit in an interview.
Sandy Brondello Reveals Partnership Gap Led To Unexpected New York Liberty Exit
During exit interviews, Stewart, too, fiercely defended Brondello, which pushed for re-evaluation of the decision. But the front office eventually went ahead and fired the champion HC. She recently opened up about her departure in an interview with Sue Bird.
Brondello said, “I just felt that it probably wasn’t the right fit anymore, to be quite honest. It was a leadership decision there. And I work best when I’m in a partnership, and so I felt like if that can’t be what I think it should look like… It was probably time. I had four great years [with the Liberty]. I got to win a championship, which will always be special for me… If they want to move on, that’s fine. It has been exciting since then, just navigating this different world.”
One of the most valuable franchises and recent champions will love to make a strong start post-Brondello era, and only time will tell who will fit in the bracket for GM Kolb.