The New York Liberty will not retain coach Chris DeMarco after just one year on the sideline, which will send the franchise once again looking for a new leader.
The team will be on its third coach in three seasons after firing Sandy Brondello after the 2025 season. DeMarco lead the Liberty to a 26-18 regular season record and an eighth seed in the 2026 WNBA playoffs. The team ousted the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the first round but fell to the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA semifinals.
The problem with the Liberty is its booming star power with Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Sabrina Ionescu (plus as deep of a roster as you're going to find in the WNBA). The title expectations come each and every season. It sounds tough, but DeMarco failing to at least
reach the WNBA Finals is seen as a massive letdown for the Liberty.
Obviously, the talent alone is going to draw a top WNBA coaching candidate, but the demands of the job to win early and win frequently can't be ignored. Whoever replaces DeMarco will have their hands full, to put it mildly. Stewart, Jones and Ionescu form one of the best trios in the WNBA; the new person will have to maximize it.
Who might be a candidate for the Liberty job? Let's go over some options.
Stephanie White
If White gets let go by the Fever when they hire a new general manager, she's going to be the most coveted coaching free agent available... or at least she should be. With a roster that's largely complete, we wonder if White could hit the ground running with New York if she's really looking for a new gig in the winter. She's done strong work with the Indiana Fever over the last two seasons, particularly in the injury-riddled 2025 campaign. The team's mostly lacking 2026 roster after its big three put a hard ceiling on what the Fever could do in 2026.
Kristi Toliver
The former WNBA All-Star has garnered attention as a possible head coaching candidate for some time. While the Phoenix Mercury had a down 2026, Toliver is hardly the one to blame. She's coached in the NBA as an assistant with the Washington Wizards and Dallas Mavericks and helped the Mercury get to the WNBA Finals in 2025 as an associate head coach. It's clear how much respect she has in the WNBA; she could be a strong hire for New York.
Kasib Powell
The Golden State Valkyries just won a WNBA title, so Natalie Nakase's staff may get some looks in this WNBA coaching cycle. Powell worked with the Miami Heat as an assistant coach in 2024 before joining Nakase's staff in 2025 for Golden State's first season. He spent nearly a decade with Miami's G-League team in Sioux Falls, working as a head coach from 2021-24. He's got extensive experience and just helped the Valkyries win a WNBA title.
Nola Henry
Henry is a fast-rising coach in women's basketball, working as an assistant with the Dallas Wings in 2025 and the Las Vegas Aces this past season. She also led the Rose BC to an Unrivaled title in that league's inaugural season. The Las Vegas assistant coaching staff has been a good pipeline for future WNBA head coaches. If New York wants to get a young coach who should have a bright future in the league early, it could bring in Henry to lead the team.
Teresa Weatherspoon
The Liberty franchise legend is a WNBA coaching free agent, having worked with the New Orleans Pelicans as an assistant from 2020-23 and as a W head coach in 2024 with the Chicago Sky. Weatherspoon should have gotten more than a season in Chicago; her single-season tenure with that team looks much better looking back. She's coaching in Unrivaled right now, but we imagine Liberty fans would love to see T-Spoon return to the sideline. Just beyond the nostalgia factor, Weatherspoon should get another look as a head coach. Why not in New York?
This article originally appeared on For The Win: 5 Liberty coaching options with Chris DeMarco out after 1 year
