The New York Liberty have decided not to retain head coach Chris DeMarco after one season, the team announced on November 3, 2026. The Liberty entered the playoffs as the eighth seed and upset the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx with a first-round sweep, but 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, who parted ways with Sandy Brondello after a first-round exit in 2025. DeMarco, a longtime Golden State Warriors assistant with no prior WNBA head-coaching experience, faced a steep learning curve amid injuries and inconsistent regular-season play.
The turning point came in Game 2 of the semifinals when DeMarco failed to call a reset timeout with 4.3 seconds remaining and the Liberty trailing by three points. Postgame finger-pointing ensued, with Breanna Stewart stating officials told her the team had no timeout left, while referees disputed that account. DeMarco took little responsibility, saying "it is what it is."
Star players were noncommittal about DeMarco's future. Stewart said the team lacked consistency, Sabrina Ionescu called the decision "not our decision," and Jonquel Jones said "that's not our say."
Despite the coaching turmoil, the Liberty job is considered the most attractive vacancy in the league. Owners Clara Wu and Joseph Tsai have invested heavily, general manager Jonathan Kolb has built a roster with Stewart, Ionescu, and Jones under contract for two more years, plus Satou Sabally and Leonie Fiebich for next season. Stewart earned first-team All-WNBA honors averaging 20.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks, finishing fifth in MVP voting, while Jones was an All-Star and All-Star MVP. The Liberty also captured the Commissioner's Cup.
The only other opening is with the Los Angeles Sparks, who fired Lynne Roberts in September after two seasons. The Sparks have not reached the playoffs since 2020, lost All-Stars Kelsey Plum and Nneka Ogwumike, and the franchise is currently for sale.
