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The New York Liberty have had a turbulent year, to say the least. After winning the 2024 WNBA Championship, the Liberty went 27-17 in 2025 and were bounced in the first round of the playoffs by the Phoenix Mercury. After this disappointing loss, the Liberty fired head coach Sandy Brondello, who had coached the Liberty since 2022 — and coached the team to their first-ever championship, no less.
Brondello quickly found a home with the Toronto Tempo and will be serving as their inaugural head coach starting in 2026. The New York Liberty searched for a head coach for months.
“We need to nail this,” said longtime general manager Jonathan Kolb in September. “If we’re going to make a bold decision like this, our players deserve to get the best, and so we’ll take the time necessary.”
Eventually, the Liberty found their coach, announcing Friday that they had hired Chris DeMarco, a longtime assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors.
DeMarco had been with the Warriors since 2012, outlasting former head coach Mark Jackson and helping Steve Kerr build one of the greatest dynasties in sports history. DeMarco was particularly hands-on with Jordan Poole and Klay Thompson while working with the Warriors, per ESPN, and has a knack for developing defensive talent. He also knows his way around championship teams — something the Liberty hope to continue to be after a season plagued by injury.
After the WNBA and its players work out a new collective bargaining agreement, multiple of the Liberty’s star players — including Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Sabrina Ionescu — will be free agents. The Liberty are confident that they will return to the team, especially as a new head coach brings a breath of fresh air and a new perspective.
