Chris DeMarco Out After One Year With Liberty — SkimNews
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- Chris DeMarco will not be retained as head coach of the New York Liberty after one year, according to sources.
- Breanna Stewart and fellow stars Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones did not offer DeMarco a definitive vote of confidence after the semifinal exit, despite his stated expectation of returning in 2027.
- New York Liberty are seeking their third coach in three years and fourth head-coach hire under general manager Jonathan Kolb, after Sandy Brondello's September 2025 departure following a first-round playoff exit.
- New York Liberty went from a 13-12 start to a 26-18 finish, earning the No. 8 and final seed in the regular-season standings.
- New York Liberty were hurt by player availability: Ionescu and Leonie Fiebich missed significant time, Satou Sabally played only 13 games before being ruled out for the season, and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton was waived four days after the trade deadline.
- New York Liberty swept the No. 1-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the best-of-three first round before being swept 3-0 by the No. 4-seeded Atlanta Dream in the semifinals.
- Chris DeMarco joined Brooklyn after spending more than a decade on the Golden State Warriors' staff, but his first Liberty season was rocky.
Why it matters: Chris DeMarco loses the job he had expected to keep in 2027, while New York must make its third coaching change in three years and fourth head-coach hire under general manager Jonathan Kolb. For Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones, the immediate change is another coach after a 26-18 season and a sweep of No. 1-seeded Minnesota.
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