6 potential WNBA coaches who could replace Sandy Brondello, Noelle Quinn

Coaching is a tough business.

Noelle Quinn is out as head coach in Seattle, Sandy Brondello is out as head coach in New York — and the Storm and Liberty have become two of four WNBA teams in search of a new head coach ahead of next season (the league’s two expansion teams, the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo, are also in the mix).

There are countless assistants, former players, and former head coaches who could be in the mix to replace Quinn and Brondello.

Let’s take a look at some possibilities:

Briann January played in the WNBA for 14 years and finished her career with the Seattle Storm. She has been in the WNBA for the last three seasons as an assistant, first with the Connecticut Sun and now with the Indiana Fever. January is widely regarded as a future head coach, and could be someone who makes a similar leap from assistant to head coach as Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase.

Tanisha Wright played in the WNBA for 14 years, including 10 for the Storm. She was an assistant on the Las Vegas Aces before serving as the head coach of the Atlanta Dream for three seasons.

This year, she served as an assistant for the Chicago Sky. Her familiarity with the Storm and previous head coaching experience make her an interesting candidate for the Storm’s new head coaching role.

Teresa Weatherspoon is an all-time great who played eight years in the WNBA — and earned five All-Star appearances during that time.

She previously coached Louisiana Tech, and served as an assistant coach in the NBA for the New Orleans Pelicans for three years. She served as the head coach of the Chicago Sky for one season before being let go. Last winter, she coached Unrivaled’s Vinyl club. Her strength in player development make her an interesting candidate for the role.

Plus, Weatherspoon is a Liberty legend who is often seen on the sidelines at Barclays Center. If she’s interested in a head coach return, New York seems like a great fit.

Brunson has served as an assistant for the Minnesota Lynx since 2020 after a decorated playing career that saw her win five WNBA titles. Her player development experience could be pivotal for a Seattle Storm roster with young talent.

Brunson hails from one of basketball’s best-run organizations, and her experience coaching under Cheryl Reeve could position her well for a head coach opportunity.

Latricia Trammell is a long-time coach who served as a special assistant for the Los Angeles Sparks this past season. She joined the Sparks coaching staff in 2019 as an assistant and became the Dallas Wing’s head coach in 2023. She was let go after two seasons.

Trammell is a defensive-minded coach who’d likely excel at maximizing the defensive talents of players like Gabby Williams and Dominique Malonga.

Nola Henry doesn’t have the same experience as some of the other candidates in this pool, but has shown promise as a young coach. She was a player development and assistant coach for the Los Angeles Sparks, and served as head coach for the first time in Unrivaled — leading the Rose BC to a championship in the league’s inaugural season.

This past year, she was an assistant coach for the Dallas Wings under Chris Koclanes.

Toliver currently serves as an assistant coach on the Phoenix Mercury, and was previously an assistant for the Washington Wizards (2018-2020) and Dallas Mavericks (2021-2023).

As a player, she was a three-time WNBA All-Star and a two-time WNBA champion. She was the first active WNBA player to coach in the NBA. She’s yet to be a head coach, but could be well-positioned to make the jump.