WNBA

Liberty Stars Give No Vote of Confidence to Chris DeMarco After Playoff Sweep

October 10, 2026

The New York Liberty’s playoff hopes ended abruptly Friday night with a 85–83 loss to the Atlanta Dream in Game 3 of the WNBA semifinals, completing a sweep that left the team’s head coach, Chris DeMarco, facing serious questions about his future. Despite an encouraging first-round upset over the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx, the Liberty’s season unraveled quickly, culminating in a disappointing exit as the No.

8 seed. The team’s three star players—Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones—avoided outright criticism of DeMarco in postgame remarks but made their stance clear when asked if they hoped he would return.

Each deferred to the organization, emphasizing their focus on performance rather than coaching decisions, a subtle but pointed message about the season’s shortcomings. DeMarco’s misstep during Game 2—a missed timeout that cost the Liberty the game—only deepened the narrative of a season that fell short of expectations, even for a team that had shown flashes of promise earlier in the year.