Isabelle Harrison grinned, then put it merely:
“Clearly,” Harrison stated after Liberty observe Thursday, “we’re loyal to Sandy.”
The Liberty in latest days have added two of coach Sandy Brondello’s former gamers to bolster their roster for the second half of the season.
After Stephanie Talbot was waived by the Valkyries, the Liberty picked her up on a contract for the remainder of the 12 months.
She performs below Brondello with the Australian nationwide crew and beforehand did so with the Mercury.
And worldwide star and 2019 WNBA Finals MVP Emma Meesseman agreed to signal — pending her going by way of the visa course of — with the Liberty over the Lynx and Mercury in a return to the WNBA.
Brondello beforehand coached Meesseman whereas an assistant at Russian membership UMMC Ekaterinburg.
For her personal half, Harrison signed with the Liberty within the offseason and has been a helpful veteran presence off the bench.
She beforehand performed below Brondello with the Mercury as effectively.
What’s it that has so lots of Brondello’s former gamers gravitating again to her?
“I love playing for Sandy,” Harrison stated. “I’ve all the time stated she’s a gamers’ coach. She’s very critical about what she’s doing, however she additionally understands how the sport goes. I believe all of us form of see that and respect that and are keen to play for her.
“Sandy drafted me in 2015. I had an ACL injury that year, and the following year, I finally went to Phoenix, and when I got there, she just kind of let me figure it out. I was playing with some really heavy hitters — Diana Taurasi, Penny Taylor, Brittney Griner, DeWanna Bonner, Candace Dupree — that year I just absorbed so much. I really got to see a leadership style that [Brondello] likes. Now, 10 years later — that’s insane — I can implement it here as a veteran.”
Talbot and Harrison pointed to Brondello’s means to obviously talk her system and the roles she needs in her gamers.
“The style of basketball she plays, for me, coming halfway through the season, it was simple,” Talbot stated. “I do know her system. It’s rather less sophisticated coming right into a system I already know. I do know what the coach desires.
“Already having a relationship, she’s easy to talk to. We have an open, honest relationship, so that probably helped, for sure.”
Loads of time had handed for Harrison and Talbot earlier than they reunited with Brondello.
“I think she’s changed,” Harrison stated. “I think she’s a lot more assertive now. In the group that I had in Phoenix, I think she just let them run the show. They were Olympians. I get why she did that. We have Olympians here, but she definitely implements exactly what she wants now. I love to see that from her.”
Talbot had a barely completely different perspective.
“I think Sandy always stays the same,” Talbot stated. “Obviously, there’s adjustments she makes to what we’re doing on the court, slight adjustments and things she’s trying to get better at as a coach, but Sandy is Sandy — I think that’s what makes her her. She always stays the same, never too high, never too low.”
Both manner, no matter Brondello is doing is clearly working — and well-liked along with her gamers.
