The New York Liberty have fired head coach Chris DeMarco after just one season, the franchise announced on Tuesday. DeMarco’s dismissal follows the Liberty’s playoff elimination at the hands of the Atlanta Dream, marking the team’s third coaching change in three years.
The Liberty finished the 2026 regular season with a 26-18 record, securing the No. 8 seed in the playoffs. The team advanced to the semifinals by sweeping the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx 2-0 in the first round, becoming the first No. 8 seed in league history to defeat a No. 1 seed. However, the Liberty were then swept 3-0 by the Atlanta Dream in the semifinals, ending their championship hopes.
DeMarco, who had no prior WNBA coaching experience, was hired in December 2025 to replace Sandy Brondello, who led the Liberty to their first WNBA championship in 2024 before her contract was not renewed. DeMarco arrived with 14 years of NBA experience, including four NBA championships as an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors. He also served as head coach of the Bahamas Men’s National Team from 2019 to 2025.
Following the playoff loss to Atlanta, DeMarco indicated he expected to return for the 2027 season. The franchise will now conduct its fourth coaching search since 2019, as General Manager Jonathan Kolb oversees the transition.
Key Moments in DeMarco’s Tenure
- Commissioner’s Cup win in June 2026, marking the team’s only championship-level success under his leadership.
- Game 2 playoff loss to Atlanta featured a coaching error where the Liberty failed to use a reset timeout in the final seconds of a 101-98 loss.
- Injuries to key players such as Sabrina Ionescu and Satou Sabally disrupted the team’s consistency throughout the regular season.
Liberty forward Sabrina Ionescu addressed the uncertainty surrounding the coaching situation after the playoffs, stating: “I don’t know what’s going to happen. Regardless, thankful for him coaching us this year and giving us a chance. And we just fell short.”
The Liberty’s next head coach search will be the franchise’s third in three seasons, following the departures of Brondello in 2025 and the interim tenure of Becky Hammon in 2023.