Sandy Brondello
Encyclopedia
Sandra Anne Brondello (born 20 August 1968 in Mackay, Queensland
) is an Australia
n women's basketball
player who played in Australia and the WNBA before retiring to become a coach, most recently with the San Antonio Silver Stars of the WNBA. The 1.70 m (5'7") Brondello is one of Australia's all-time best shooting guard
s. She played on Australia's "Opals" national team at four Summer Olympics, and won three medals (one bronze, two silvers).
Brondello's career began playing in Australia's Women's National Basketball League
, where she was named the Australian Basketball Player of the Year
in 1992. She played for the Australian National Team for 17 years, including the 1988
, 1996
, 2000
and 2004 Summer Olympics
.
Brondello started her WNBA career in 1998 by being selected in the fourth round (34th overall) by the Detroit Shock
, becoming an All-Star in the first WNBA All-Star Game
in 1999. She was selected by the Indiana Fever
in late 1999's expansion draft
, but never played a game for them, being traded to the Miami Sol
along with a first-round pick for Stephanie McCarty. She signed as a free agent with the Seattle Storm
in 2003, joining fellow Opals Lauren Jackson
and Tully Bevilaqua
. Brondello was one of the top three-point shooters in league history, her .410 percentage ranking fourth all-time.
Brondello chose not to play in the WNBA in 2004 because of a commitment to the Australian Olympic basketball team, which finished with a silver medal for the second time. This was the last major event in which she played.
In 2005, Brondello was named an assistant coach of the San Antonio Silver Stars
. She was promoted to head coach in February 2010.
Brondello and her husband, associate head coach Olaf Lange, were fired by the Silver Stars in September 2010. Brondello finished her only season as head coach with a 14-20 record, third best in the Western Conference. They were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Phoenix two games to none. General manager Dan Hughes regained the title of head coach in January 2011, returning to the dual role he held before promoting Brondello.
Brondello would become an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Sparks
for the 2011 season.
Mackay, Queensland
Mackay is a city on the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia, about north of Brisbane, on the Pioneer River. Mackay is nicknamed the sugar capital of Australia because its region produces more than a third of Australia's cane sugar....
) is an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n women's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who played in Australia and the WNBA before retiring to become a coach, most recently with the San Antonio Silver Stars of the WNBA. The 1.70 m (5'7") Brondello is one of Australia's all-time best shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
s. She played on Australia's "Opals" national team at four Summer Olympics, and won three medals (one bronze, two silvers).
Brondello's career began playing in Australia's Women's National Basketball League
Women's National Basketball League
The Women's National Basketball League is the pre-eminent women's professional basketball league in Australia. It currently is composed of ten teams. The league was founded in 1981 and is the women's counterpart to the National Basketball League...
, where she was named the Australian Basketball Player of the Year
Player of the year award
Several sports leagues honour their best player with an award called Player of the Year. In the United States, this type of award is usually called a Most Valuable Player award...
in 1992. She played for the Australian National Team for 17 years, including the 1988
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
, 1996
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
, 2000
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
and 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
.
Brondello started her WNBA career in 1998 by being selected in the fourth round (34th overall) by the Detroit Shock
Detroit Shock
The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...
, becoming an All-Star in the first WNBA All-Star Game
Women's National Basketball Association All-Star Game
The Women's National Basketball Association All-Star Game, commonly referred to as the WNBA All-Star Game is an annual exhibition basketball game played in the United States between the best players of the Eastern and Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association...
in 1999. She was selected by the Indiana Fever
Indiana Fever
The Indiana Fever is a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
in late 1999's expansion draft
Expansion draft
An expansion draft, in professional sports, occurs when a sports league decides to create one or more new expansion teams or franchises. This occurs mainly in North American sports. One of the ways of stocking the new team or teams is an expansion draft...
, but never played a game for them, being traded to the Miami Sol
Miami Sol
The Miami Sol was a women's basketball team which joined the Women's National Basketball Association in 2000. They played their games at American Airlines Arena. The team folded after the 2002 season because of financial problems...
along with a first-round pick for Stephanie McCarty. She signed as a free agent with the Seattle Storm
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
in 2003, joining fellow Opals Lauren Jackson
Lauren Jackson
Lauren Elizabeth Jackson is an Australian professional basketball player. Jackson began her professional career at the Australian Institute of Sport in the WNBL before moving on to the Canberra Capitals. She is currently a forward/centre with the Seattle Storm of the WNBA and the Australian...
and Tully Bevilaqua
Tully Bevilaqua
Tully Louise Bevilaqua is an Australian professional women's basketball player. She currently plays for the San Antonio Silver Stars in the WNBA and the West Coast Waves in Australia's WNBL....
. Brondello was one of the top three-point shooters in league history, her .410 percentage ranking fourth all-time.
Brondello chose not to play in the WNBA in 2004 because of a commitment to the Australian Olympic basketball team, which finished with a silver medal for the second time. This was the last major event in which she played.
In 2005, Brondello was named an assistant coach of the San Antonio Silver Stars
San Antonio Silver Stars
The San Antonio Silver Stars are a professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; the team moved to San Antonio...
. She was promoted to head coach in February 2010.
Brondello and her husband, associate head coach Olaf Lange, were fired by the Silver Stars in September 2010. Brondello finished her only season as head coach with a 14-20 record, third best in the Western Conference. They were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Phoenix two games to none. General manager Dan Hughes regained the title of head coach in January 2011, returning to the dual role he held before promoting Brondello.
Brondello would become an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Sparks
Los Angeles Sparks
The Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began...
for the 2011 season.