The New York Liberty finally have a new head coach — and it’s longtime Golden State Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco. ESPN first reported that DeMarco would be taking over the post on Friday afternoon, and multiple sources, including The Athletic, have since confirmed it.
Liberty new head coach hire continues big trend
Chris DeMarco’s hiring continues the WNBA’s inclination toward hiring coaches with NBA experience.
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Noa Dalzell is a senior writer covering the WNBA and all of women’s basketball for Breakaway, SB Nation’s women’s sports vertical, as well as the Celtics for CelticsBlog.
DeMarco has been an assistant coach on the Warriors since 2012, as well as the head coach of the men’s national team since 2019. He’s been a fixture of the team’s defense and was a part of four championship teams with Golden State.
ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported that Sabrina Ionescu spoke to Stephen Curry — a good friend of hers — throughout the hiring process regarding his experience playing for DeMarco for over a decade. DeMarco will reportedly remain on the Warriors’ sidelines in the short term before fully assuming his Liberty head coaching responsibilities.
What the New York Liberty hiring means for the league
The Liberty finally securing their new head coach means that all five WNBA coaching vacancies have been filled. The Portland Fire (Alex Sarama) and Seattle Storm (Sonia Raman) also chose coaches with NBA backgrounds. The Dallas Wings hired longtime USF coach Jose Fernandez, while the Toronto Tempo hired Sandy Brondello, whose head coach contract with the Liberty was not renewed.
The hiring also continues a trend of WNBA head coaching vacancies being filled by coaches with NBA experience. Sarama comes to Portland after serving as the assistant coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, while Raman comes after years of experience with the Memphis Grizzlies. Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Thibbets assumed head coach responsibilities after serving as an assistant coach for the Cavaliers, the Portland Trail Blazers, and, most recently, the Orlando Magic.
The Wings went for a standout college basketball coach, while the Tempo opted for the most experienced WNBA coach available.
Of the league’s 16 head coaches, 9 are men and 7 are women. Two — Sarama and DeMarco — assume WNBA coaching responsibilities without significant experience coaching women. Whether that trend continues remains to be seen.
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