With the news of head coach Chris DeMarco’s firing after just one season, it appears that the New York Liberty still have more questions than answers.
It is well worth mentioning that if there is any failure to note, it lives somewhere within the front office. DeMarco, experienced with the NBA but a self-admitted fresh face to the WNBA, was in no good position to find success.
Yes, the Liberty performed a historic sweep of the no. 1 seeded Minnesota Lynx in the first round of the playoffs. Yes, they were champions of the Commissioner’s Cup. And still, questions plagued the first-timer’s short tenure as far as his fit with what is supposed to be a title-contending team.
Despite reaching the semifinals, the up-and-down nature of the Liberty’s season reflected injuries as well as growing pains as the players adapted to a new coach’s system. The latter is likely to happen again, further challenging whoever comes next regardless of experience.
At some point, a franchise needs to look inward first. It may allow itself one more season to see if the old adage about third times and charms holds true — but should 2027 fall short of expectations just two years after firing Sandy Brondello (a coach that took them to a title yet still got dropped)… it will be better late than never to reflect on what bigger issues may exist.
It would be a disservice to one of the best to play the game of basketball not to take this window of time seriously.
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