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A new WNBA season is looming, bringing changes that, in addition to a hoped-for new CBA, will include new head coaches and two more expansion teams.
Over the past week, we’ve seen three franchises introduce their new coaches who shared their ideologies and visions for the future. Here are the biggest takeaways from what was said by the Toronto Tempo’s Sandy Brondello, Seattle Storm’s Sonia Raman and Dallas Wings’ Jose Fernandez, plus the challenges each coach and team might face entering 2026.
Brondello is back for the first time
The Tempo will begin their first WNBA season in 2026, and they’ve opted to hire Sandy Brondello, the former New York Liberty, Phoenix Mercury and San Antonio Silver Stars head coach with two WNBA titles to her name.
During her press conference, she made it clear that her goal is to win and take on the challenge of establishing greatness for Canada in the WNBA:
I’ve won two championships. I’ve been to the playoffs every single year, so it’s no pressure coming into this new season. But that really excites me. The challenge that we have ahead of us and to do it in another country really excites me.
Typically, expectations are low for expansion teams. However, after the Golden State Valkyries made the playoffs in their debut season, a new standard has been set for what can be accomplished even in the first year.
While that’s an incredibly high bar to reach, it’ll be interesting watching Brondello and the Tempo franchise aim to reach—or even exceed—it.
The Storm make a bet on Raman
The Storm clearly weren’t satisfied with an early playoff exit and parted ways with head coach Noelle Quinn. After moving on, they’ve hired Sonia Raman as their head coach.
Raman is as experienced as can be for this position. She spent last year on Brondello’s staff in New York and the four years before that as an NBA assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies.
Now she’ll take on the challenge of maximizing star players like Nneka Ogwumike while developing rookie phenom Dominique Malonga. Here’s what she said about the task ahead in her introductory presser:
The player development aspect of it is tremendous for me and in my background. I think it starts there. I think the relationships then build into the player development. We’ll incorporate analytics as she [ Storm general manager Talisa Rhea] mentioned, as well as some other areas, and all of that is to unlock their full potential so that we can be the best we can be on the offensive side on the defensive side, in the special teams.
How do we win in the margins? How can we be intentional about how we train to get there? To have our teams compete every day to bring toughness and resilience to do it together. To really prioritize getting better and to do all of that with joy.
Fernandez steps into pressure of the Paige Era
The Wings have found the head coach who will help establish the Paige Bueckers era. Dallas has hired Jose Fernandez as the franchise’s 14th head coach.
In the coaching world, instability is the norm. However, Fernandez has been as consistent as they come, coaching at South Florida for 25 years. Now, he’ll exchange that stability to enter the WNBA and test out how he’ll fare coaching at the highest level of women’s basketball. Fernandez is promising change and victories.
I have good news and bad news for Fernandez, and it’s the same statement: You are now the coach of Paige Bueckers. The good of that is obvious. She is already one of the most dominant and electrifying players in the WNBA—and that’s after just one season. The bad is that talent comes with the highest of expectations. Culture wins mean nothing in the WNBA if actual victories don’t come along with them.
Don’t believe me? Ask former Wings head coach Chris Koclanes, who, after a sole season with 10 wins, was fired. Or better yet, you can ask your general manager, Curt Miller, who was let go by the Sparks in 2024 after winning just eight games.
If Bueckers is happy and the results are trending upward, then this will be a great decision, and Fernandez will be a part of something special in Dallas. If not, he’ll be wondering why he left a the comforts of South Florida for a short stint in the W.
