Liberty Fire Chris DeMarco After Playoff Collapse as Breanna Stewart and Stars Withhold Support

New York Liberty superstars Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones declined to publicly endorse head coach Chris DeMarco following their playoff exit, preceding his dismissal after just one season.

The franchise officially confirmed the termination on Tuesday, November 3, following an abrupt conclusion to the 2026 campaign.

The decision brings a swift close to a tenure that began with championship aspirations but ended in postseason heartbreak.

General manager Jonathan Kolb now faces the task of hiring the franchise's third head coach in just three seasons.

The front office had previously parted ways with former championship-winning head coach Sandy Brondello in search of a fresh voice.

That pivot to DeMarco, an NBA veteran assistant with no prior WNBA coaching experience, quickly drew sharp scrutiny across the basketball landscape.

AN ABRUPT EXIT IN BROOKLYN

DeMarco joined the organization in December 2025 after spending fourteen seasons on the bench with the Golden State Warriors.

During his extended tenure in the NBA, he earned four championship rings as part of Golden State's coaching staff.

However, his transition to the WNBA proved turbulent from the opening weeks of the 2026 campaign.

The Liberty closed out the regular season with a 26-18 record, sliding down to the eighth seed in the league standings.

That seeding fell well short of expectations for a roster packed with perennial All-Stars and recent champions.

Despite entering the postseason in eighth position, New York delivered an immediate shock to open the playoffs.

The Liberty eliminated the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the first round of postseason action.

With that historic victory, New York became the first eighth seed in WNBA history to knock off a number one seed.

The stunning upset momentarily restored confidence and energized the fan base entering the semifinal round.

Yet the momentum dissolved almost instantly when the Liberty met the Atlanta Dream.

Atlanta dismantled New York's title hopes with a swift three-game semifinal sweep.

THE COSTLY PLAYOFF COLLAPSE

The semifinal elimination highlighted recurring tactical issues that had plagued the team throughout the season.

A defining miscue arrived in the closing moments of Game 2 against Atlanta.

During overtime, the Liberty bench failed to recognize that the team still held an available reset timeout.

In the WNBA, an advanced reset timeout allows a team to advance the ball into the frontcourt and organize a set play late in games.

Instead of taking advantage of the stoppage to draw up an organized look, confusion spread across the floor.

Stewart was forced into attempting a contested, low-percentage shot as the final seconds ticked away.

The unforced error cost New York a prime opportunity to tie or win the game and swung the series entirely in Atlanta's favor.

Atlanta capitalized on the disorder, finishing off the three-game sweep and ending New York's season in decisive fashion.

STARS STAY SILENT AT THE PODIUM

The fallout from the sweep was immediate inside the Liberty locker room.

When given the chance to back their first-year head coach, the team's core leaders notably declined to do so.

Stewart, Ionescu, and Jones all avoided offering public votes of confidence for DeMarco during their final media sessions.

Stewart offered a candid assessment of the roster's performance, labeling the entire campaign as inconsistent.

She pointedly stressed that legitimate championship contenders must establish and maintain top-tier play across the full schedule.

Reports soon emerged that Stewart had been forced to take on expanded leadership responsibilities to keep the team focused.

The noticeable absence of public support from the locker room's most influential voices made DeMarco's standing untenable.

When a team's primary stars withhold public backing, front offices rarely hesitate to make a leadership change.

INJURIES AND ROSTER INSTABILITY

While late-game execution faltered, DeMarco's lone season was undeniably complicated by significant health setbacks.

Forward Satou Sabally suffered a concussion that derailed her year and limited her to just thirteen appearances.

Ionescu also missed several games due to injury, disrupting backcourt chemistry during key stretches of the season.

Those absences forced the coaching staff to cycle through changing lineup combinations on a weekly basis.

Without consistent rotations, the Liberty struggled to build the rhythm required of an elite title contender.

Even with those persistent setbacks, New York managed to secure silverware earlier in the year.

DeMarco guided the squad through the midseason tournament to capture the Commissioner's Cup.

Yet that in-season tournament crown was not enough to outweigh the regular-season struggles and the subsequent semifinal collapse.

THE BACKLASH OVER BRONDELLO

DeMarco's swift dismissal has intensified criticism surrounding the franchise's overarching decision-making.

Analysts and commentators questioned why New York moved on from Sandy Brondello in the first place.

Brondello had guided the Liberty to sustained success before the front office opted for a coaching transition.

Following DeMarco's exit, an ESPN analyst described the prior decision to part with Brondello as a major mistake.

The franchise now finds itself right back where it started twelve months ago, searching for stability on the sidelines.

Kolb's decision to hand the reins to an NBA assistant with no WNBA background proved to be a costly gamble.

Now, the organization must run another comprehensive coaching search while trying to keep its star-studded roster unified.

TERESA WEATHERSPOON EMERGES AS A CANDIDATE

As the search begins, prominent basketball voices are already putting forward high-profile options.

ESPN legend Linda Cohn proposed a franchise icon with deep New York roots: Hall of Famer Teresa Weatherspoon.

Cohn publicly campaigned for the five-time WNBA All-Star to be heavily considered for the vacant post.

Cohn emphasized that hiring Weatherspoon would generate massive fan enthusiasm while bringing proven leadership back to the club.

"Teresa Weatherspoon. You want a band that would get Liberty some big-time fan attention," Cohn stated.

"Spoon. A franchise icon with the Liberty. With professional coaching experience, including as a WNBA head coach," she continued.