While the team hasn’t officially introduced its first head coach yet, Sandy Brondello will reportedly lead the Toronto Tempo this upcoming season. The Tempo secured the most experienced and proven WNBA head coach available, setting a strong tone for their first season. With the right roster for Brondello to coach, the Tempo may even be competitive early on. After all, Brondello coached the Mercury to eight consecutive playoff appearances and a championship and led the Liberty to four playoff runs, including the 2023 finals and 2024 championship.
Brondello, for one, is hoping to continue her winning habits with her new team. “When you won one, you want to win again. And I want to keep winning. My narrative hasn’t changed. It’s just now I have to go win with a different team,” Brondello said on Sue Bird’s podcast Bird’s Eye View.
One issue that could complicate Brondello’s plans is that the “different team” she has to win with now doesn’t have a single player on its roster yet and may struggle to attract big-time free agents ahead of its first season. While playing for a proven coach like Brondello and having a chance to help build a culture should make Toronto an interesting destination, many of the best players in the game will still be wary about joining an expansion team in its first season.
Winning might not be as easy as it sounds in the Tempo’s early years.
Building a championship contender takes time
The Golden State Valkyries proved that an expansion team can put together a competitive roster and win right away. However, while they made the playoffs in their first season, the Valkyries are still far away from true championship contention.
Toronto may be competitive in its early seasons under Brondello’s leadership, but getting to championship contention will take a while and require a lot of work. Attracting championship-level players isn’t always an easy task. The best players in the world usually want to play for the best organizations in the world. Toronto has to establish itself as a place where ownership isn’t afraid to invest in its players and allow them to be their best selves before it can expect an influx of star players.
So far, the Tempo do not have a dedicated practice facility yet, but the team will have its own locker room in Coca-Cola Coliseum and plans for a practice facility are reportedly in the works.