An Unprecedented Move in WNBA All-Star History: Coaches Traded Between Teams
An unprecedented scene unfolded at the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game when Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier—the top two fan vote-getters and team captains—pulled off a shocking trade not involving players, but coaches.
During the live team draft on ESPN, Caitlin Clark stunned everyone by joking—and then making it reality—saying:
“I’m not sure if this is in the rules, but I don’t really care. We’ve decided to trade coaches.”
And just like that, Sandy Brondello—the head coach of the New York Liberty, originally assigned to Collier’s team—officially switched over to coach Clark’s squad.
This historic moment marked the first time a coach had ever been “traded” during an All-Star Game. Sandy Brondello, a seasoned leader who boasts two WNBA championships, three Olympic medals, and a stellar record as both a player and coach, found herself at the center of this unique piece of WNBA history.
Sabrina Ionescu—Liberty’s star guard and Brondello’s devoted player—couldn’t hide her excitement. Upon hearing she’d be reunited with her beloved coach, she joked during a press conference:
“You can’t escape me.”
Brondello, laughing, shared how her son was the first to text her, saying:
“Mom, you just made history—you got traded!”
The bond between Ionescu and Brondello began in 2022 when Brondello took the helm at New York Liberty. After their very first game together, Ionescu praised her coach, saying:
“It’s been amazing learning from her experiences, both as a player and as a coach.”
Since then, the duo has led the Liberty to their first-ever championship and Olympic gold.
During the All-Star draft, Caitlin Clark quickly snapped up familiar faces like her Indiana Fever teammate Aaliyah Boston, as well as Ionescu, A’ja Wilson, and Satou Sabally. Meanwhile, Collier went into full mastermind mode, selecting stars like Breanna Stewart, Alisha Gray, Nneka Ogwumike, and Paige Bueckers.
But the true shocker was the coach trade. Instead of swapping players, Clark and Collier agreed to trade coaches, forming Clark’s dream team featuring herself, Ionescu, and Brondello. On the other side, Collier’s team retained Cheryl Reeve—a coach equally stacked with championships and currently leading the Minnesota Lynx with the best record in the league.
“We’ve got more chemistry, we know what to expect from each other—that’s our advantage,” said Collier confidently. “Clark just made a big mistake. We’re going to beat her.”
Though Brondello has coached in several All-Star Games, this is her first as Liberty’s head coach under such extraordinary circumstances. Adding to the drama, the WNBA recently shifted away from the traditional East vs. West format, giving fans the power to select captains and letting them draft their own rosters.
This matchup isn’t just a star-studded clash of elite players—it’s also a rematch between two coaches who squared off in the 2024 WNBA Finals. Brondello’s Liberty and Reeve’s Lynx both top their respective standings, with Liberty at 13–6 and Lynx at an impressive 17–2.
And of course, Sabrina Ionescu is no minor figure herself. Selected first overall in the 2020 WNBA Draft, she’s rapidly established herself as one of the league’s premier two-way players. Now in her sixth season, Ionescu boasts a glittering resume: four All-Star selections, three All-WNBA Second Team honors, the 2022 Skills Challenge title, the 2023 Three-Point Shootout crown, and a 2023 WNBA championship. She also made league history as the first player ever to record a 30-point triple-double, posting 31 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists on July 6, 2022.
Pairing Ionescu with Clark—and Clark’s signature deep-logo threes—creates a combination that’s bound to give Team Collier fits.
The showdown between “Team Fee & Reeve” and “Team CC & Brondello” is heating up fast. It’s a high-stakes clash, a historic coach trade, and a player-coach bond that refuses to be broken—setting the stage for one of the most unforgettable WNBA All-Star Games in league history.
