Liberty fire coach Chris DeMarco after only one season

Key Points:

• The New York Liberty fired first-time WNBA head coach Chris DeMarco after one season, signaling a loss of patience from general manager Jonathan Kolb, who had initially expressed willingness to be patient with the process.
• DeMarco's tenure included a 26-18 regular-season record, a historic sweep of the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the first playoff round, and a second Commissioner’s Cup win, but the team was swept by the Atlanta Dream in the semifinals.
• Players like Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart expressed mixed feelings about the coaching change, with Ionescu thankful for DeMarco’s efforts and Stewart calling it a "missed opportunity."
• DeMarco’s lack of women’s basketball experience and occasional in-game management issues, including a notable timeout mistake in overtime, highlighted challenges during his coaching stint.
• The Liberty are preparing for their fourth coaching search since 2019, with potential candidates including Briann January, Kara Lawson, and Lindsey Harding, as the franchise looks to make sweeping changes after another unsuccessful championship bid.