Chris DeMarco is excited to get started as coach of the New York Liberty. He\u2019ll have to wait a few more weeks to officially get going as he won\u2019t begin until Jan….<\/p>\n
NEW YORK(AP) \u2014 Chris DeMarco is excited to get started as coach<\/a> of the New York Liberty.<\/p>\n He’ll have to wait a few more weeks to officially get going as he won’t begin until Jan. 1. For now he’ll continue as an assistant coach of the Golden State Warriors.<\/p>\n \u201cI did just a little bit of research. It was a no brainer that this is the best opportunity in the WNBA,\u201d DeMarco said Wednesday at his introductory press conference. \u201cA good championship franchise and this was what I wanted and that\u2019s why I\u2019m here right now.\u201d<\/p>\n Ironically, his last game with the Warriors is in Brooklyn against the Nets right before the start of 2026.<\/p>\n DeMarco has been with the Warriors for 13 years in a variety of positions, including player development coach and assistant, and helped the franchise win four NBA championships.<\/p>\n \u201cIn my free time I have, pouring into this, probably ordered every book on the New York Liberty,\u201d DeMarco said. \u201cI always watched as a fan. So now I have to shift my focus and watch as a coach. So there\u2019s a lot to go back and watch. … To learn about the history of the WNBA.\u201d<\/p>\n Liberty players Sabrina Ionescu, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, Isabelle Harrison and Nyara Sabally were in attendance at DeMarco’s press conference.<\/p>\n Afterward, DeMarco went across the street from Barclays to the Brooklyn Basketball Training Center to run a clinic for 60 girls \u2014 who greeted him with welcome signs \u2014 from Uncommon Excellence Girls Charter.<\/p>\n He inherits a talented team, especially so if Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones re-sign. Both are free agents like most of the league. New York GM Jonathan Kolb is confident that all his stars will be back once a new collective bargaining agreement is signed.<\/p>\n DeMarco is the latest WNBA coach with NBA experience. He joined Alex Sarama<\/a> (Portland) and Sonia Raman<\/a> (Seattle), who were two of the five coaches hired this offseason.<\/p>\n DeMarco said he spoke with Phoenix GM Nick U’Ren and coach Nate Tibbetts, who both used to be in the NBA. U’Ren was in Golden State with DeMarco.<\/p>\n Kolb liked that DeMarco has worked in a variety of roles with the Warriors. He’s also been the Bahamian national team coach since 2019.<\/p>\n \u201cChris possesses a rare combination of tactical savvy, emotional intelligence as well as an unrelenting work ethic. That aligns well with our players,\u201d Kolb said.<\/p>\n