From left to right: Liberty CEO Keia Clarke, General Manager Jonathan Kolb, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, Nyara Sabally, Head Coach Chris DeMarco, Isabelle Harrison, Sabrina Ionescu, and Owner/Governor Clara Wu Tsai

By Noah Zimmerman

noah@queensledger.com

New York’s newest head coach landed in the city last week for an introductory press conference and youth clinic. Golden State Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco fielded questions at the Barclays Center before swapping his suit and tie for a tracksuit and heading across the street to the Brooklyn Basketball Training Center.

After his introductory press conference, DeMarco made his first appearance at the Brooklyn Basketball Training Center across the street!

After spending well over a decade in the Bay Area and helping oversee the development of one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history, DeMarco is coming to NYC, ready to set his sights on a new challenge as he becomes the 10th to lead the original WNBA franchise.

He’ll finish his assistant coaching duties with the Warriors at the end of the year, coincidentally right after they come to the Barclays Center to take on the Brooklyn Nets on December 29.

Chris DeMarco will finish his tenure with the Golden State Warriors after they visit the Brooklyn Nets at the end of December.

“We needed somebody who understands the habits that go into building a dynasty,” said General Manager Jonathan Kolb. “Someone that’s been in a championship culture and understands the cost of greatness and the accountability that’s required to sustain it.”

DeMarco is one of now seven former NBA assistants set to coach WNBA teams in 2026, joining high profile coaches like Becky Hammon, Natalie Nakase, and Nate Tibbets. It’s a strategy that has worked out well for plenty of teams, especially the Las Vegas Aces who picked up their third championship, all won under Hammon’s leadership. 

The Liberty also saw their 2025 campaign ended by a star-studded team led by Tibbets, who spent 12  years as an assistant for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trailblazers, and Orlando Magic. Now New York will look to replicate the formula, also hoping to retain their top talent.

“I’m honored to be in a head coaching role in the WNBA. The league is expanding rapidly, it’s exciting and it’s where I want to be,” said DeMarco. “There’s tremendous growth each year and I get a chance to coach the greatest basketball players in the world.”

“t’s where I want to be. There’s tremendous growth each year and I get a chance to coach the greatest basketball players in the world,” said DeMarco.

Much of the offseason depends on how the collective bargaining agreement shakes out, but once that hurdle is cleared the Liberty are expected to be very aggressive in free agency to retain some stars and bolster their core.

The Liberty will not make a 1st round selection in the 2026 WNBA draft after trading their pick alongside last year’s 1st in the Natasha Cloud deal. Still, they’ll have plenty of assets and allure to bring in what they need to pursue a second title when the season tips off next year.