The common thread drawing new stars to the Liberty

Isabelle Harrison grinned, then put it simply: 

“Clearly,” Harrison said after Liberty practice Thursday, “we’re loyal to Sandy.” 

The Liberty in recent days have added two of coach Sandy Brondello’s former players to bolster their roster for the second half of the season.

After Stephanie Talbot was waived by the Valkyries, the Liberty picked her up on a contract for the rest of the year.

She plays under Brondello with the Australian national team and previously did so with the Mercury.

And international star and 2019 WNBA Finals MVP Emma Meesseman agreed to sign — pending her going through the visa process — with the Liberty over the Lynx and Mercury in a return to the WNBA.

Brondello previously coached Meesseman while an assistant at Russian club UMMC Ekaterinburg. 

For her own part, Harrison signed with the Liberty in the offseason and has been a valuable veteran presence off the bench.

She previously played under Brondello with the Mercury as well. 

What is it that has so many of Brondello’s former players gravitating back to her? 

“I love playing for Sandy,” Harrison said. “I’ve always said she’s a players’ coach. She’s very serious about what she’s doing, but she also understands how the game goes. I think we all kind of see that and appreciate that and are willing to play for her. 

“Sandy drafted me in 2015. I had an ACL injury that year, and the following year, I finally went to Phoenix, and when I got there, she just kind of let me figure it out. I was playing with some really heavy hitters — Diana Taurasi, Penny Taylor, Brittney Griner, DeWanna Bonner, Candace Dupree — that year I just absorbed so much. I really got to see a leadership style that [Brondello] likes. Now, 10 years later — that’s insane — I can implement it here as a veteran.” 

Talbot and Harrison pointed to Brondello’s ability to clearly communicate her system and the roles she desires in her players. 

“The style of basketball she plays, for me, coming halfway through the season, it was simple,” Talbot said. “I know her system. It’s a little less complicated coming into a system I already know. I know what the coach wants. 

“Already having a relationship, she’s easy to talk to. We have an open, honest relationship, so that probably helped, for sure.” 

Plenty of time had passed for Harrison and Talbot before they reunited with Brondello. 

“I think she’s changed,” Harrison said. “I think she’s a lot more assertive now. In the group that I had in Phoenix, I think she just let them run the show. They were Olympians. I get why she did that. We have Olympians here, but she definitely implements exactly what she wants now. I love to see that from her.” 

Talbot had a slightly different perspective. 

“I think Sandy always stays the same,” Talbot said. “Obviously, there’s adjustments she makes to what we’re doing on the court, slight adjustments and things she’s trying to get better at as a coach, but Sandy is Sandy — I think that’s what makes her her. She always stays the same, never too high, never too low.” 

Either way, whatever Brondello is doing is clearly working — and popular with her players.