Diana Taurasi is the best women’s basketball player in the world.

The best player in the world will not be with the Mercury in 2015.

Those are the optics of the situation, not excuses – and there is an important distinction between the two.

“I think it will extend her career,” Brondello said about Taurasi. “Losing someone of her caliber, the best player in the world [for a season], will certainly be tough but it gives other players an opportunity to step up.”

Even though Taurasi won’t be with the team this season (she’ll return in 2016), the Mercury are very serious – perhaps even bullish – about defending their 2014 WNBA Championship without her. Brondello is famous for her preparation, so it’s no surprise she’s attacking the 2015 season head on.

“I’m the kind of coach that I actually look forward to the challenge,” she said. “It will be harder without Diana, obviously. But it’s something we can embrace. We’re still going to compete and be very good.

“We’re focused on defending our title.”

You cannot replace Diana Taurasi, but the Mercury’s impressive and eclectic free agent class of 2015 comes as close as humanly possible to doing so. It’s a unique, diverse mix of youth and veterans, size and speed. Indeed, there is a systematic approach that Brondello and GM Jim Pitman used while targeting new additions to the squad.

“I’m really happy with the new players we have coming in,” Brondello added. “Monique Currie should fill a void on both ends of the floor. She can score but she can also defend. Shameka Christon and Noelle Quinn are two veterans who will add a lot to the group on and off the floor. Leilani Mitchell is a very good point guard, a pick-and-roll player who can knock down the three and helps us open up the floor. Cayla Francis is tall but she plays more with her face to the basket; she can do a lot of things well.”

When asked to characterize the Mercury’s new players, Brondello spoke with zero hesitation.

“They’re versatile,” Brondello said. “That’s the key thing for us. Jim [Pitman] and I have really tried to bring players in that will complement each other and I think that’s the most important thing. They’re different. Some play more on the defensive end, and some help us with size.

“It’s more about making things work in a complementary way on both ends of the floor so we can compete at a high level.”

If there is a central theme during Brondello’s tenure with the Mercury, it’s synchronicity. Looking back at the 2014 season, one could make an argument that the team’s chemistry contributed as much to their success as their talent level. It’s difficult to predict or replicate chemistry on a year to year basis, but the Mercury’s core is still intact with DeWanna Bonner, Candice Dupree and Brittney Griner.

“I’ll look to those players even more this year,” Brondello said. “DeWanna Bonner was such a defensive stopper last year, and there are more things I can utilize her with on both ends of the floor. We just need Candice [Dupree] to be Candice and BG [Brittney Griner] to keep improving along the path that she did last year. We also have Mistie Bass returning, and players like that are the glue to a team because they work so hard and do the little things so well.”

Amazingly, the aforementioned chemistry and cohesion that was so special about the 2014 Mercury team happened rather quickly; Brondello arrived in Phoenix in the middle of training camp last year once her Russian season ended. This year, however, Brondello is already in Phoenix and doesn’t have to learn the nuances of the organization on the fly.

“It definitely helps,” Brondello said with a smile. “I’m no longer a rookie there.”

That “rookie” won Coach of the Year en route to a league-record 29 regular season wins, a 16-game win streak (the second-longest in WNBA history) and a WNBA Championship.

In Sandy we trust.