Not retaining New York Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello was necessary for the team to keep growing, general manager Jonathan Kolb said Thursday.

"These decisions mark fork-in-the-road moments for organizations," Kolb told reporters in his first public comments since Brondello's firing on Tuesday. "You can stand still or you can embrace change and move forward, and my commitment is to keep pushing the New York Liberty to new heights."

The Liberty won their organization's first WNBA title last season, then got off to a 9-0 mark in 2025. After the hot start, the team finished 27-17 and were bounced by the Phoenix Mercury in the first round of the playoffs.

Kolb said the team needs to be "proactive" as it looks to the future.

"This is not about not winning or winning," Kolb said. "It's a

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