By Noah Zimmerman
noah@queensledger.com
The head coaching search for the New York Liberty has finally come to a close, as they tabbed Golden State Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco for the position last Friday.
For two months the team searched for the successor to Sandy Brondello, who led New York to their first ever WNBA title in 2024 before her contract expired at the end of this past season. Brondello was a fan and player favorite, crafting deep connections with Liberty stars over her four years at the helm. As head coach, Brondello became the winningest in the franchise’s 28-year history.
Multiple Liberty stars stood up for Brondello when she was scrutinized following the team’s elimination in the 2025 postseason, and with contracts expiring and a new CBA yet to be signed, it remains unclear if they will all return. Still, Liberty General Manager Jonathan Kolb remained optimistic that New York’s top talent will look to return for the 2026 season and beyond.
DeMarco brings with tons of high-level experience, part of Steve Kerr’s coaching staff that saw the Warriors rule the NBA and create a dynasty. He was on the Dubs’ staff for all four of their recent championships, and given the similarities in Steph Curry and Sabrina Ionescu’s games, it will be interesting to see how that translates to the WNBA and to New York.
DeMarco was also named the Head Coach of the Bahamanian men’s national team in 2019, which could lead to a solid relationship with 2024 Finals MVP Jonquel Jones, who suits up for their women’s team.
Warriors guard Buddy Hield commented on DeMarco’s leadership when he showed up late to a Bahamas film session.
“He locked me out of film. That was big time,” Hield said about his former assistant and current national team leader. “He wanted me to be disciplined. He was like ‘you didn’t watch film? You should feel bad as a leader not being on time.’ You respect that from a coach.”
With discipline and a tactical eye at the forefront, DeMarco’s next task will be to return the Liberty to WNBA dominance. Despite starting last season 9-0, New York faltered later in the season, ultimately falling to a Mercury team coached by a former NBA assistant coach in Nate Tibbetts. Now they’re looking to capture that same experience as they pursue a second title.
