WNBA Coaching Changes

[vballcoach]

Sandy Brondello is out for Phoenix and Walt Hopkins is out for the Liberty. Interesting!

 

[tcno2fan]

Wow, I just got home and had heard about Walt but not Sandy! Maybe she's going to be focusing on the Opals ahead of the 2022 WC in Australia?

 

[noirwestern]

I wonder if DT will bow out now or later if the new hire turns out to be more about money than skills?

 

[Vowelguy]

@CamrnCrz1974 is our local Phoenix expert. Any comments?

 

[maccca3232]

How often does a team make the Finals and "part ways" with their coach?

Interestingly Paul Gorris did a great job as interim head coach of the Opals at the Asia Cup while Sandy was unavailable during the WNBA playoffs.

I thought it might be better for Sandy to focus on one job but obviously expected the reverse change.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Brondello kept her job thru so many mediocre (or worse) seasons, now they get rid of her? Weird.

 

[Dillon77]

OK, now that we've got one thread on two kinda later-than-expected coaching changes happening on the same day, let's have some fun:
- are these possibly related? Could Sandy have wanted out of Phoenix for a very high profile Liberty position? Yeah, I know she's got a house in a swanky area of Phoenix, but it's easier to commute from Chicago (her husband, Olaf Lange works for the Sky) to New York than Chitown to Phoenix.

• Plus, Phoenix is almost handcuffed budgetwise to it's Big Three, Breezy Bri Turner and not a lot else (Kia will probably be out with her injury next season)
• In NYC, she's got a young superstar, two Opals (Whitcomb, Allen) and a mostly youngish team. Plus, you've got an Aussie (Sean Marks) running the Nets. Gotta guess he knows Sandy really well.

Just a thought. This is almost too coincidental.

 

[BostonCanuck]

Finally! However, this move comes about five years too late. DT obviously liked Brondello. The GOAT seemed fine with season after season being squandered even though the team possessed a two-player combination that would have made them virtually unbeatable under effective coaching that understood how to develop and properly utilize Griner.

 

[JellyBean]

I think the New York move was the most interesting out of the two. I think the one with coach Brondello, I can see a change. Eight years and some really impressive runs with that Phoenix Mercury team. Coach Brondello did a great job with that team. The Liberty move really surprised me. Two years? The first year coach Hopkins had an injury riddle squad and did not have one of their best players (Sabrina Ionescu) for the rest of that season. But this is the nature of the business. I wish both teams the best in their hiring process.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

@CamrnCrz1974 is our local Phoenix expert. Any comments?

Sandy Brondello was on the hot seat from the standpoint of having talent, not living up to the talent on the roster during the regular season, and having to win single-elimination games in the playoffs (which Phoenix did remarkably well).

Brondello did not like playing rookies - and only did so with Turner and Cunningham out of necessity in the Wubble.

To @fang 's comment, it took a long time for Brondello to get Griner to live up to the ceiling of her potential, which she did this past season. But Griner in the high post works better for a lot of sets, as her leg base is not strong and she can be pushed around more easily. With Turner not having an outside shot, having her roam the paint for offensive rebounds and putbacks (or alley-oop passes) with Griner more in the high post has worked really well.

In some ways, Brondello served at the pleasure of Diana Taurasi. If Taurasi is indifferent about whether Brondello would be retained, the franchise would let her go --- which it did.

And for all of the discussion about a mutual parting of the ways, my source informed me it was not mutual.

 

[Vowelguy]

Sandy Brondello was on the hot seat from the standpoint of having talent, not living up to the talent on the roster during the regular season, and having to win single-elimination games in the playoffs (which Phoenix did remarkably well).

Brondello did not like playing rookies - and only did so with Turner and Cunningham out of necessity in the Wubble.

To @fang 's comment, it took a long time for Brondello to get Griner to live up to the ceiling of her potential, which she did this past season. But Griner in the high post works better for a lot of sets, as her leg base is not strong and she can be pushed around more easily. With Turner not having an outside shot, having her roam the paint for offensive rebounds and putbacks (or alley-oop passes) with Griner more in the high post has worked really well.

In some ways, Brondello served at the pleasure of Diana Taurasi. If Taurasi is indifferent about whether Brondello would be retained, the franchise would let her go --- which it did.

And for all of the discussion about a mutual parting of the ways, my source informed me it was not mutual.

gracias for the insight

 

[maccca3232]

Brondello did not like playing rookies - and only did so with Turner and Cunningham out of necessity in the Wubble.

Both Turner and Cunningham were in their second season during the 'Wubble'.

While it is true Sandy doesn't play rookies, was that an observation or criticism? Is that any different to other playoff coaches?

*Information based on the Past 10 Seasons. Purple indicates championship coaches.
Past championship coaches not included in breakdown below: Van Chancellor, Anne Donovan, Paul Westhead, Corey Gaines.

Min Play (Rookie MP <2%)
Sandy joins Brian Agler and Gary Kloppenburg as coaches who have won championships the past decade who don't play rookies much at all.
Also: John Whisenant, Noelle Quinn, Penny Toler and Stephanie White.

For Agler only 1 out of his 10 playoffs had Rookie MP > 2%. In 2012 (Shekinna Stricklen).

Average Play (Rookie MP between 3 and 7%)
Cheryl Reeve, Dan Hughes, Lin Dunn and James Wade have all won championships the past decade who play rookies about average.

Also: Bill Laimbeer, Curt Miller, Derek Fisher, Nicki Collen, Pokey Chatman, Taj McWilliam-Franklin, Vickie Johnson.

Max Play (Rookie MP >8%)
Mike Thibalut is the only coach who has won a championship the past decade who does play rookies more than most. Although the season he won he had no rookies but in 2 of his 3 Runner-up seasons, rookies played extensively (WAS in 2018 with Atkins & Hines-Allen and CON in 2004 with Whalen and Brungo)

Also: Fred Williams, Jenny Boucek, Russ Pennell, Michael Cooper, Walt Hopkins, Carol Ross.

The table below shows the Percentage of Rookie Minutes Played for all coaches for playoff teams the past decade: All Playoffs (avg. 4.5%), Finals (avg. 2.6%) and Champs (avg. 1.5%).

 

[AZgirl]

My issue isn't whether or not Brondello plays rookies. It was the fact that the Mercury don't even have rookies anymore. They have not kept a rookie since 2019 and traded away their picks last year. They pay out max contracts to 3 players and another big one to Hartley, then have to go with a short bench. Since Taurasi has difficulty making it through a complete season these days, having a short bench (that included an injured Hartley) is just asking for trouble. No wonder they couldn't get a bye and have to win single elimination games every year. Getting rid of Brondello does nothing to fix any of that.

Given Brondello's recent comments, the fact that they put the "mutual decision" thing out there is shady as hell.

 

[TerpWomenFan]

Way to go Mystics. Win the WNBA lottery. Gotta be Nalyssa Smith.

 

[Geew1992]

 

[Bigboote]

Aces? Is Laimbeer out?

 

[nwhoopfan]

I might be wrong, I thought Hammon was pretty much holding out for a NBA head coaching job. She's been pursued for numerous wcbb openings and I don't think she gave any of them serious consideration.

 

[Geew1992]

 

[eebmg]

I might be wrong, I thought Hammon was pretty much holding out for a NBA head coaching job. She's been pursued for numerous wcbb openings and I don't think she gave any of them serious consideration.

It seems Hammon has moved into first assistant position so I would have to believe Spurs would seriously hire
Stay the course.

 

[Geew1992]

Mutual interest??

 

[bballnut90]

Oh man, I hope Hammon stays in the NBA to be honest. She's been a trail blazer for women coaching in the NBA, and after 7 or 8 years, she deserves to be the first female head coach in the NBA if that's what she's still hoping to accomplish.

 

[the Q]

Oh man, I hope Hammon stays in the NBA to be honest. She's been a trail blazer for women coaching in the NBA, and after 7 or 8 years, she deserves to be the first female head coach in the NBA if that's what she's still hoping to accomplish.

Nope. I’m selfish and she’s my top pick to be geno’s successor. Lol

But shams is reporting this is a done deal

 

[Dillon77]

Nope. I’m selfish and she’s my top pick to be geno’s successor. Lol

But shams is reporting this is a done deal

If this deal between Becky H. and the Aces happens, it'll be interesting for a number of reasons. Maybe Nikki Vargas brought a little of that "spend whatever it takes attitude" from LSU and opened the bank vault to get Hammon to Vegas.

That said, maybe Davis, the owner, saw the team was plateauing and his GM had bolted to Atlanta: time for a possible reset. Stay tuned.

 

[Geew1992]

Sandy Brondello about to be the next liberty coach