Liberty fire coach DeMarco after one season despite playoff success

Summarised from 2 outlets · 5 reports · Updated 5 Nov, 01:50 · Archive

The New York Liberty have fired head coach Chris DeMarco after his first season in charge. DeMarco was hired to replace Sandy Brondello, whose contract expired at the end of last season, leading her to sign with expansion team Toronto Tempo.

In his only year, DeMarco led the Liberty to a stunning playoff upset of the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx and won the Commissioners Cup. However, the team was then swept by the Atlanta Dream in the following round. The Dream went on to reach the WNBA Finals before losing in seven games to the Golden State Valkyries.

Before joining the Liberty, DeMarco had only head coaching experience with the Bahamas men's national basketball team. He had served as an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors from 2012 to 2026. When he was hired, Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb said he wanted to be 'patient with the process' of hiring a first-time WNBA head coach.

The New York Post reports that Mercury associate head coach Kristi Toliver, former Nets assistant Will Weaver and Raptors assistant Jama Mahlalela were finalists for the coaching position before DeMarco was selected. The Post also suggests that the Liberty should involve team stars, especially Breanna Stewart, in the search process going forward. This marks the third head coach search for the Liberty in as many seasons.

How it is being reported

• There’s an important lesson for Liberty to learn from Chris DeMarco’s quick flameoutThe Liberty are in the same position they were a year ago.New York Post · 5 Nov, 01:35
• Liberty Fire Chris DeMarco: Who’s Next? | Liberty LatelyThe New York Liberty have fired Chris DeMarco after one season. Where do they go from here? Dexter Henry and Madeline Kenney discuss the decision, Jonathan Kolb’s responsibility and what the Liberty should prioritize in their next head coach. They also explore how much input Breanna Stewart and the team’s stars should have in the...New York Post · 3 Nov, 22:00
• WNBA's New York Liberty ruthlessly fire coach Chris DeMarco after just one season in chargeThe New York Liberty are pulling the plug on head coach Chris DeMarco after only his first season coaching in the WNBA.Daily Mail Sport · 3 Nov, 17:58
• Liberty coaching candidates: Eight names who could replace Chris DeMarcoThe Liberty are going up against the Los Angeles Sparks, who are also in search of their next head coach after firing Lynne Roberts in September.New York Post · 3 Nov, 15:20
• Liberty fire coach Chris DeMarco after only one seasonIn late April, Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb expressed a willingness of “being patient with the process” after hiring a first-time WNBA head coach in Chris DeMarco. Six months later, that patience has apparently worn out. The Liberty fired DeMarco on Tuesday after one season, The Post confirmed. When the Liberty fired Sandy Brondello a...New York Post · 3 Nov, 13:09

In this story: Chris DeMarco · New York Liberty · Breanna Stewart · Sandy Brondello · Minnesota Lynx · Atlanta Dream · Golden State Warriors

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log