The 2025-2026 WNBA offseason has felt longer than others in the past. As the league and the Players’ Association continue to negotiate a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, the last couple of months have been marred by pushed deadlines, social media soliloquies, and one VERY cold stalemate. The stalemate has been making life difficult for teams across the league with no end in sight. And for the New York Liberty, they’ve had to manage a lot of things all at once.
It’s been an especially rough few months for the Liberty. Still bruised over their first round playoff loss to the Phoenix Mercury, the 2024 WNBA champions shook things up. Out went head coach Sandy Brondello and in came questions as to what the team was looking for next. The uncertainty at head coach has placed them further away from the top of the WNBA mountain.
So far, in fact, that management has decided to rock the boat.
Liberty General Manager Jonathan Kolb officially concluded New York’s head coaching search with the introduction Chris DeMarco on December 10. “We were not interested in making a quick hire. We were interested in making the RIGHT hire,” Kolb told the media. “It just became evident that Chris DeMarco was the personification of the profile we’re looking for.”
Kolb cited the expertise of DeMarco and his work in the team building and development process. DeMarco’s resumé comes pastel with a fourteen year tenure as an assistant for the Golden State Warriors. Four championships, countless postseason wins, and literal dynasties have come and gone with DeMarco present to witness it all. With the league currently in a state of flux, a basketball presence as seasoned and cerebral as DeMarco might be what the Liberty needs.
DeMarco addressed the transition from an assistant in men’s play to head coaching one of the brightest women’s teams in the league. While acknowledging that there is a learning curve, he has made strides to get up to speed with the women’s game:
“Any free time that I have I’ve poured into this. I’ve probably ordered every book on the New York Liberty that you can find online… I’ve always watched as a fan, now I have to shift my focus and watch as a coach.”
For DeMarco, who is also the head coach responsible for the turnaround for the Bahamian national team, sees New York as the premier destination for any head coach to begin their journey. He details his time in New York prior to moving to Wisconsin, as his father was a native that “was a little intense for the Midwest,” New York accent and all. “I wanna go somewhere where we have a chance to win. With the support of ownership and the way ownership’s aligned with management…this is just an exciting opportunity.”
As DeMarco builds his staff and gets acclimated with Brooklyn, he’s eager to return the team to championship glory. With the DeMarco era underway, everyone is working towards the goal of bringing the WNBA championship home to Brooklyn.