When Sabrina Ionescu first met the newly-appointed HC of NY Liberty in 2022, Sandy Brondello, she had nothing but praise for her. After all, Brondello—then 53—was already a two-time WNBL All-Star, WNBA All-Star, and a three-time Olympic medalist. So, when Ionescu said in an interview after their first game together, “She’s been amazing—just learning from her experiences… as a player but also as a coach,” it made perfect sense. And, since then, Ionescu has soaked in every bit of that experience, leading the Liberty to a first-ever championship title and earning Olympic gold. And just when it seemed like their coach-player bond couldn’t grow any stronger, fate had one more twist in store!
It all started when Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier, the top two fan vote-getters, were selected as All-Star captains and began drafting their teams live on ESPN. In a not-so-surprising move, Clark started by picking her Indiana Fever teammate Aliyah Boston, followed by Sabrina Ionescu, then A’ja Wilson, and Satou Sabally. Collier, not to be outdone, went full mastermind mode, drafting Breanna Stewart, Allisha Gray, Nneka Ogwumike, and Paige Bueckers. But the real shocker came afterward. Though both captains had the option to trade players, they stood by their picks. Instead, out of nowhere, they traded coaches!
“I don’t know if this is in the rules; I don’t really care,” Clark said with a smirk, jokingly apologizing to the WNBA and ESPN if it violated draft protocol. But, of course, W did approve, and just like that, Sandy Brondello, originally assigned to Team Collier, became Team Clark’s head coach. So yes, that’s how the “perfect team” came together, not just for Clark and Collier, but also for Sabrina Ionescu, who was over the moon to be reunited with her Liberty coach on the All-Star bench.
In fact, Ionescu couldn’t help but joke: “You can’t escape me,” she said in a recent press conference. Brondello, too, was in good spirits, laughing it off and saying, “I got traded. My son hit me up. I’ve created history—this is awesome. I got traded as a coach. I get to coach Sabrina, I’m on Caitlin Clark’s in Indianapolis. What a great show. So we’ll get out there and have some fun.”
Sandy: “And I got traded yes my son hit me up. I’ve created history this is awesome. I got traded as a coach. But look I get to coach with Sabrina I’m on Caitlin Clark’s in Indianapolis. What a great show. So we’ll get out there and have some fun.
Sabrina: “You can’t escape me.” pic.twitter.com/gKUBty7fyv
— correlation (@nosyone4) July 9, 2025
Brondello has a staked resume as a coach, which includes 2 WNBA championships and an Olympic bronze medal. And while this isn’t her first time coaching an All-Star Game, it is her first as Liberty’s head coach—and under unique circumstances. Especially since the league had moved away from its’ traditional East vs. West format, putting the power in the hands of fan-voted captains.
And, with coaches now also part of the mix, the Brondello vs. Reeve showdown is set, and things are heating up fast. Because really, how could it not, when it’s two championship coaches, two elite squads, and a sideline reunion that no one saw coming?
Coach Brondello plus Sabrina Ionescu, and Caitlin Clark are a deadly combo!
So, while we’ve got Sandy Brondello with an impressive resume, Coach Cheryl Reeve is no less accomplished. After all, both coaches were selected to lead the All-Star teams because their squads held the best records in their respective conferences—the New York Liberty at 13–6 and the Minnesota Lynx at 17–2.
Now, it’s Team Phee and Reeve vs. Team CC and Brondello, and this matchup brings even more excitement considering these two head coaches last faced each other in the 2023 WNBA Finals. While they’ve yet to meet this season, their rivalry is already well established.
BASKETBALL CANADA AUSTRALIA, Head Coach of Australia Sandy Brondello before the 2022 FIBA Women s Basketball World Cup match between Canada and Australia at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Monday, September 26, 2022. ACHTUNG: NUR REDAKTIONELLE NUTZUNG, KEINE ARCHIVIERUNG UND KEINE BUCHNUTZUNG PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJAMESxGOURLEYx 20220926001707961946
And yes, there’s no doubt Sabrina Ionescu will do whatever it takes to help Brondello win another title—even on the All-Star stage. “She has my trust,” Brondello once said in an exclusive interview with Soy Futbol, referring to Ionescu. Of course, Ionescu is no small name herself. Selected No. 1 overall in the 2020 WNBA Draft, she has quickly established herself as one of the league’s premier two-way players.
Now in her sixth season with the Liberty, Ionescu boasts a stacked résumé, four All-Star selections, three All-WNBA Second Team honors, skills Challenge champion (2022), 3-Point Shootout champion (2023), and WNBA champion (2023). And not just that, she’s also made league history by becoming the first player ever to record a 30-point triple-double, finishing with 31 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists on July 6, 2022. Now, pair her with CC and her signature logo threes, and Team Collier is going to have a tough time keeping them contained. It’s going to be an epic encounter…so be ready with drinks and beverages!!
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