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New York Liberty's search for answers, identity ends in WNBA semifinals as team faces uncertain future, coaching questions

The New York Liberty’s 2026 campaign ended in disappointment with a sweep by the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA semifinals, marking the first time two-time MVP Breanna Stewart was eliminated from the postseason in her career. Despite finishing with a 26-18 record—their lowest win total since 2022—they entered the playoffs as the No.

8 seed, a drop from their previous top-three standing. Key missteps, including a controversial missed reset timeout in Game 2 and squandered fourth-quarter leads, fueled questions about the team’s cohesion and coaching direction under first-year head coach Chris DeMarco.

The Liberty’s struggles extended beyond the court, as their assist average fell to 20.8—a decline from their three-year run in the top two—while their net rating dipped to seventh in the league, the first time since 2022 they weren’t among the elite. Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones all declined to speculate on DeMarco’s future, emphasizing their focus on performance rather than personnel decisions, though the season reignited doubts about whether he could sustain the team’s “superteam” identity after parting ways with championship coach Sandy Brondello mid-season.

The exit left the Liberty’s championship aspirations—and the stability of their core trio—once again in question as they prepare for an uncertain offseason.

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