Breanna Stewart on Wednesday admitted she was “sad” that the Liberty decided to move on from Sandy Brondello after last season’s early playoff exit.
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Stewart made her first public comments since the Liberty’s Sept. 19 loss on the third day of Unrivaled media availability. She said she was grateful to have been coached by Brondello and wishes the Liberty’s all-time winningest head coach the best next season with the Toronto Tempo.
“As far as Sandy, really loved and appreciated playing with her, like, I’m happy I got to do that,” Stewart said. “And while it’s sad that we’re no longer, we had some great years together and winning a championship is going to be like the cherry on top of that. And [I’m] excited to see what she does in Toronto.”
Minutes after the Liberty’s 2025 season ended with a first-round loss, Stewart vehemently backed Brondello to return as the Liberty’s head coach.
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The mere suggestion that Brondello could be dismissed only a year removed from winning a title appeared to catch Stewart off guard.
“What the f—k,” a hot mic caught her saying at the podium, with Brondello sitting only inches to her left.
Stewart continued, saying, “She has our backs, and we have hers.”
Only a few days later, though, the Liberty fired Brondello. They held a lengthy two-month search for her replacement and ultimately hired longtime Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco to take over.
Breanna Stewart #30 of the New York Liberty handles the ball during the game against the Phoenix Mercury. NBAE via Getty Images
General manager Jonathan Kolb later said he liked DeMarco’s championship pedigree, tactical confidence and experience being part of the building of one of basketball’s great modern dynasties.
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Stewart missed DeMarco’s introductory news conference last week because she took a family vacation to Disneyland Paris. She has yet to meet him in person and has only spoken to him on the phone.
DeMarco, who is expected to remain on the Warriors bench through the team’s Dec. 28 game in Brooklyn, is scheduled to make a trip to Unrivaled next month.
Nevertheless, Stewart, an unrestricted free agent who already pledged her intentions to return to Brooklyn next season, said she’s looking forward to working with DeMarco.
New Liberty head coach Chris DeMarco addresses a press conference at the Barclays Center. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
“Having Chris come from the Warriors, coming to the Liberty, I’m excited,” Stewart said. “I’m excited to see what he brings — his basketball IQ, knowing that the NBA … they just do different things than the W, and bring in that analytical side to what we do.”
Stewart texted Sabrina Ionescu Tuesday night as soon as she caught wind that her teammate’s Southern California home was burglarized.
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Ionescu and her husband, former NFL offensive lineman Hroniss Grasu, weren’t home Monday night when the masked burglars ransacked the place and stole $60,000 worth of handbags, according to NBC4.
“Obviously, knowing that they’re safe, first and foremost, is the most important thing,” Stewart said. “… It’s scary, you know, to have the idea of your house being robbed, people knowing where you live, like, that’s the biggest thing is the sense of privacy that you feel is lost.
“So here for Sab and Hroniss and anything that they need. And you know that they’ll be OK.”
Unfortunately, Stewart can probably relate to some of the unsettling feelings that Ionescu might be experiencing.
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During the 2024 WNBA Finals, Stewart’s wife, Marta Xargay, received an anti-gay threat via a direct email, which she reported to police.
While Stewart offered support to Ionescu’s family, she also suggested that this unfortunate event should serve as a reminder for professional athletes to prioritize safety.
“You see it happening and with the explosion and the boom of women’s basketball, we’re no different from any other professional athlete and it just makes us all kind of take a step back and make sure that we’re taking the right precautions in everything that we do.”
