After an extensive two-month search, the New York Liberty have named their new head coach. On Friday, ESPN’s Shams Charania announced that Chris DeMarco, a Golden State Warriors assistant coach with four NBA championship rings to his name, will take over the role. He succeeds Sandy Brondello, who led the Liberty to their first-ever championship during her four-year tenure.
DeMarco became a candidate for the position relatively late in the process; the New York Post only reported the Liberty’s interest in him on November 18. After 13 years in various coaching roles with the Warriors, DeMarco is moving on. His basketball journey began at Dominican University before embarking on an NBA coaching career. He also served as head coach for the Bahamas men’s national team, collaborating with Ole Miss head coach Yolett McPhee-McKeown. VJ Edgecombe was a key player under his guidance there.
At Golden State, DeMarco was the lead player development coach, helping talents like Jordan Poole, Kevon Looney, and Klay Thompson reach their peak performance. He also played a significant role in managing the Warriors’ defense and earned high respect from players and staff for his frank and open communication style. Draymond Green praised him in 2023 as a coach unafraid to speak up and have difficult conversations.
During the hiring process, star player Sabrina Ionescu got insights about DeMarco from Stephen Curry. The basketball community has largely welcomed the news with enthusiasm. SB Nation’s Noah Dalzell provided a thorough analysis of DeMarco’s appointment and what it means for the Liberty.
The Liberty’s hiring decision underscores an ongoing trend of favoring coaches with NBA experience; all coaching finalists had NBA assistant experience. This choice contributes to a growing discussion as the WNBA is poised to have more male than female head coaches next season, sparking important conversations about diversity in coaching.
The Liberty squad DeMarco steps into has challenges ahead after a disappointing 2025 playoff exit. GM Jonathan Kolb highlighted the need to boost the team’s offense, which slipped to fifth place in offensive rating after ranking top two in the previous two seasons. The team’s lack of aggressiveness at the rim needs adjustment, and DeMarco is expected to help design strategies for more paint-focused plays amid rising league-wide competition.
Kolb recognizes the rapid evolution of the game, both offensively and defensively, and emphasizes the importance of assembling the right roster and coaching staff to keep up with these shifts. As the WNBA approaches free agency—currently stalled by ongoing collective bargaining talks—the Liberty will seek players who align with DeMarco’s vision. Veteran players largely become free agents, leaving key rotation players Leoni Fibic and Nyara Sabally as holdovers. Fibic, who faced injuries and heavy workload in 2025, could benefit from DeMarco’s development approach to improve her ball-handling and playmaking. Sabally is sidelined this winter due to knee rehab but is expected to return stronger in 2026 as a valuable rim runner with a soft finishing touch.
Roster questions remain unresolved until the collective bargaining agreement is finalized, putting free agency and expansion drafts temporarily on hold. DeMarco’s hiring marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Liberty, an organization known for its commitment to excellence both on and off the court. The Liberty is ready to invest to attract top talent and aims to return to the WNBA Finals after a challenging 2025 season, making DeMarco’s arrival a key component of that strategy. The team’s future looks promising, and fans eagerly await the developments.
Fan Take: This coaching change is pivotal for the Liberty and the broader WNBA landscape because it blends NBA-level expertise with the league’s growing talent, potentially elevating the quality of play and competitiveness. For WNBA fans, DeMarco’s hire symbolizes a bold step toward innovation and strategic evolution that could inspire more cross-league coaching influences and raise the profile of women’s basketball.
