The New York Liberty have parted ways with caput manager Chris DeMarco aft conscionable 1 season, the franchise announced Tuesday. The determination comes pursuing a disappointing run that ended with a second-round playoff elimination, marking different coaching alteration for the WNBA franchise.
DeMarco, 41, joined New York successful December 2025 aft spending much than a decennary arsenic an adjunct manager with the Golden State Warriors. Despite having nary erstwhile WNBA coaching experience, he guided the Liberty to a 26-18 regular-season grounds and the eighth and last playoff seed. New York besides captured its 2nd Commissioner’s Cup title during his tenure and made postseason past by becoming the archetypal No. 8 effect to destruct a No. 1 seed, sweeping the Minnesota Lynx successful the opening round. However, the team’s playoff tally ended with a three-game semifinal expanse astatine the hands of the Atlanta Dream.
DeMarco’s departure follows a play marked by inconsistency, injuries and questions surrounding late-game decisions. One peculiarly costly infinitesimal came during the 2nd crippled against Atlanta, erstwhile the Liberty coaching unit failed to admit that the squad inactive had a reset timeout disposable during overtime. Following the elimination, prima players Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones stopped abbreviated of offering definitive enactment for DeMarco’s return. Stewart acknowledged the team’s struggles passim the season, saying, “And I don’t deliberation we were accordant passim the season.”
The determination means New York volition beryllium searching for its 3rd caput coach successful 3 seasons. General manager Jonathan Kolb antecedently moved connected from Sandy Brondello successful September 2025, conscionable 1 twelvemonth aft she led the franchise to its archetypal WNBA title successful 2024. DeMarco was nether declaration done the 2027 play and had indicated aft the playoff elimination that helium expected to return. His departure marks Kolb’s 4th coaching prosecute since taking implicit the wide manager presumption successful 2019, arsenic the Liberty look to get their title aspirations backmost connected track.
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