Liberty fires DeMarco after one season, a warning for the next coach.

Chris DeMarco's quick Liberty demise must be a lesson in readiness for his successor.

Chris DeMarco surprised many when he felt comfortable admitting that he was not overly familiar with the WNBA or the New York Liberty in his introductory press conference.

He said he would order books to learn everything he needed to know.

That plan evidently did not work out.

The Liberty fired DeMarco after just one season, the team announced Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

DeMarco joined the Liberty in December 2025 after spending fourteen seasons with the Golden State Warriors as an assistant coach.

He helped Golden State win four NBA championships.

But he entered New York without any previous experience coaching in the WNBA.

His first season produced a 26-18 regular-season record, leaving the Liberty eighth in the league standings entering postseason play overall.

Despite that position, New York stunned top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the first round, becoming the first eighth seed to eliminate a number one seed.

That opening-round victory raised expectations.

But the Atlanta Dream quickly ended the Liberty's championship hopes with a three-game semifinal sweep.

Atlanta swept New York in three games, exposing problems that troubled the team throughout its injury-disrupted regular season campaign.

One costly moment came during Game Two, when the Liberty failed to recognize they still had a reset timeout available.

That confusion proved significant during overtime, as Breanna Stewart attempted a difficult shot instead of using the remaining timeout late.

New York also struggled with injuries, including Satou Sabally's concussion, which limited the forward to just thirteen appearances during 2026.

Sabrina Ionescu missed several games.

Changing lineups made it difficult for DeMarco to establish consistent combinations throughout the season.

Stewart, Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones avoided giving firm public support for DeMarco after the team's playoff elimination earlier this month.

Stewart described the season as inconsistent, stressing that championship contenders must maintain strong performances throughout the entire regular campaign season.

"We want to win a championship every single time we step on the court," Stewart, who has won three titles already, said in her final media availability.

"But it's really hard in this league, and in order to do that, you need to be consistent for the full 44 games, and now it's going to be 50."

"I don't think we were consistent throughout the season."

"We started to show some life and peak a little bit towards the end and really in the playoffs, but this is not like cramming for a test."

"You gotta be ready and ready to go since the jump."

Ionescu and Jones also didn't endorse DeMarco's future as Liberty head coach in that media availability.

So, it really wasn't surprising that the franchise will be looking for a new head coach once again.

When you take over a championship team built around Breanna Stewart, you don't have much time to learn on the fly.

You have to be ready and prepared from the second you take over.

The margin of error as the Liberty head coach is that small.

Stewart is an amazing player and leader, but she cannot make up for an incompetent or unprepared head coach — and she shouldn't have to.

Anyone who is up for the position needs to look at DeMarco's short-lived tenure and realize that they have to be prepared to lead a title contender from the minute they interview for the position.

Firing Sandy Brondello looks a lot worse now.

When the Liberty first parted ways with Sandy Brondello, it came as a surprise to many.

Brondello had just led the team to a title a season ago and is one of the most respected coaches in the W.

When reporters asked whether the players had considered a potential head coaching change in their final media availability, Stewart reacted with shock and disbelief.

Still, one could argue that it was simply time for a change, that the Brondello era in New York had run its course.

A season later, the decision simply looks bad.

And it will continue to age badly if the Liberty cannot find the right replacement.

The coaching change means general manager Jonathan Kolb must now find another leader for the franchise's next championship push.

New York will search for its third head coach in three seasons, after choosing not to retain Brondello previously.

Brondello compiled a 107-53 regular-season record over four seasons in New York, led the team to back-to-back Finals appearances and delivered its first championship in 2024.

However, Kolb chose not to renew her contract for 2026 after their early playoff exit, citing the need for evolution and innovation.

DeMarco was brought in to lead that transition.

"Very serious thought and consideration was made to retaining Sandy (Brondello), but ultimately we determined that evolution and innovation is what is needed at this time," the Liberty GM said at the time.

DeMarco's abrupt dismissal prompted swift media backlash, with critics calling the front office's decision-making a mistake.