A new chapter is about to be written in WNBA history with the addition of its latest team, the Toronto Tempo, who will join the league from the 2025\u201326 season onward. The iconic Sandy Brondello is set to lead the new expansion team, and it is shaping up to be a fresh challenge for the Aussie.<\/p>\n
The 57-year-old will be looking to capture three rings with three different franchises after leading the Phoenix Mercury to its first title in 2014 and the New York Liberty<\/a> to a title in 2024.<\/p>\n To celebrate her big spotlight job, Brondello has been on a media tour. One stop included an interview with WNBA legend Sue Bird<\/a> on her podcast. The 13-time All-Star\u2019s first question to Brondello was about how it felt to be a free agent in the very competitive market. Her response included the explanation as to why she chose to join Toronto.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce I was let go from New York I had some interest from other teams and going through that process was fun. A little overwhelming, a little stressful just making that decision because they\u2019re all great situations. But in the end, my heart was leading me to Toronto. To build something from scratch in a whole new city. A whole new country. It\u2019s not just Toronto\u2019s team. It\u2019s Canada\u2019s team,\u201d Brondello stated.<\/p>\n Cities like Philly and Cleveland won\u2019t see their W franchise until 2030, but the talent pool in the current crop of the league is better than ever<\/a>. That\u2019s why Brondello made a smart choice.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere do you feel like I\u2019ll have the most support to build something special? Partnership. What\u2019s their vision for the team? The roles and the alignment that we have. I think that was really a big thing. Just people, then city, and then what\u2019s the opportunity? What\u2019s the challenge ahead of me?\u201d\u00a0she asked<\/a>.<\/p>\n More importantly, the Aussie is excited to have a hand in constructing something completely new. \u201cHow fun. You can start from the ground up. What kind of players do we want? Obviously, it goes beyond just trying to win a championship. It\u2019s trying to have sustainable success and build a culture there that the Canadian public can be proud of.\u201d<\/p>\n