Uncertainty reigns for Toronto Tempo 1 year after Valkyries WNBA expansion draft

The Toronto Tempo’s hiring of Sandy Brondello turned some heads.

Here was one of the most accomplished coaches in recent WNBA history hitting the open market and choosing to lead an expansion team without any players or even much of a front-office staff.

It wasn’t the money either — Brondello reportedly also received offers from Dallas and Seattle, with at least one promising a richer deal than she ultimately landed in Toronto. (Financial terms of her Tempo contract were not disclosed).

So why did Brondello choose Toronto? That was the first thing she was asked upon her introduction in November.

“I think this is just a little different situation, obviously. A lot of the players now are free agents. Yes, we'll be an expansion team, but hopefully summer in Toronto is pretty special. So hopefully we can get some pretty special players to represent the Tempo,” Brondello said.

2-time WNBA champion Sandy Brondello introduced as Toronto Tempo's inaugural coach

It was one year ago — Dec. 6, 2024 — that the Golden State Valkyries held their expansion draft, nabbing eventual Most Improved Player Veronica Burton from the Connecticut Sun, filling out their troops with an international flavour and ultimately laying the foundation for a surprise playoff appearance.

But this WNBA off-season is unlike any other. With a collective bargaining agreement that had been set to expire, players across the league timed their free agencies for the expected financial windfall.

Meanwhile, two expansion teams — the Tempo and the Portland Fire — will enter the league in 2026, complicating matters even further.

The rules for the Valkyries were simple — each of the 12 existing teams were able to protect six players, and Golden State could take one from