The New York Liberty have decided not to retain head coach Chris DeMarco after a single season. The Liberty entered the playoffs as the eighth and final seed and began the postseason strongly by sweeping the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the first round. However, the preseason title favorites were then swept by the Atlanta Dream in the semifinals.
This marks the third head coaching change in three seasons for the 2024 WNBA champions. The franchise parted ways with Sandy Brondello after a first-round exit in 2025, despite Brondello leading the team to its first championship and back-to-back Finals appearances.
DeMarco's Tenure
DeMarco, a longtime Golden State Warriors assistant, was a surprising hire with no major head-coaching experience and little familiarity with the WNBA or the Liberty franchise. The learning curve proved steep, and he often appeared flustered during an inconsistent regular season marred by injuries and absences. Hope rose after the first-round sweep, but DeMarco's inexperience was spotlighted in Game 2 of the semifinals when he failed to use a reset timeout with 4.3 seconds remaining and the team down by three points.
Postgame finger-pointing ensued. Breanna Stewart claimed referees told her the team did not have a reset timeout, a claim the referees refuted. DeMarco took little responsibility, stating Stewart's account was correct and adding, "it is what it is." After the sweep, DeMarco expressed expectation to return for 2027 but received minimal public support from his stars. Sabrina Ionescu said DeMarco's future was "not our decision," Jonquel Jones added, "That's not our say. Our job is to go out there and play good basketball," and Stewart was similarly evasive.
Why the Liberty Job Remains Attractive
Despite the coaching turnover, the Liberty position is widely viewed as the best in the league. Ownership under Clara Wu and Joseph Tsai is among the most invested, general manager Jonathan Kolb is proven, and a championship-contending core remains under contract. Stewart, Ionescu, and Jones are signed for two more years, while Satou Sabally and Leonie Fiebich are under contract for next season. Sabally's health is a question after missing the second half of the season with her second concussion in 10 months.
Stewart delivered a phenomenal 2026 season, averaging 20.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.3 blocks, earning first-team All-WNBA honors and finishing fifth in MVP voting. Jones was named an All-Star and earned All-Star MVP. The Liberty also captured the Commissioner's Cup this season. The new coach can step into a roster built to win immediately, but the expectation is clear: winning is the rule, and patience for anything else appears minimal.
