The Liberty is starting over. New York fired head coach Chris DeMarco on Tuesday, just one season into his Commissioner’s Cup-winning tenure.
DeMarco arrived in December from the Golden State Warriors, where he spent 10+ years as an assistant with no background in women’s basketball.
Finishing the regular season at 26-18, the No. 8 Liberty upset No. 1 Minnesota in the first playoff round before getting swept by No. 4 Atlanta in the semis.
The news leaves New York hunting its third manager in three seasons. However, unlike the response to Sandy Brondello’s 2025 dismissal, players stopped short of backing DeMarco.
“Those decisions aren’t ours,” said forward Breanna Stewart, calling the season a “missed opportunity.” Meanwhile, guard Sabrina Ionescu admitted she didn’t “know what’s going to happen.”
GM Jonathan Kolb is leading the hiring search. He’ll field potential candidates like Team USA and Duke boss Kara Lawson and Indiana assistant Briann January as the WNBA offseason shifts into gear.
