New York Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb must think he “nailed” his most recent coaching hire.
He knows Brooklyn basketball fanatics will be the first to hold him accountable if he didn’t.
Though it hasn’t been made official by our borough’s WNBA franchise, Kolb has reportedly hired long-time Golden State Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco as the Liberty’s new head coach.
Kolb, who has put together one of the league’s deepest and most talented rosters since 2023, when he brought in former WNBA Most Valuable Players Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart, parted ways with beloved former New York coach Sandy Brondello last fall.
That was shortly after the Liberty, coming off back-to-back WNBA Finals appearances and the franchise’s first-ever championship, flamed out in the opening round of the playoffs against Phoenix.
Knowing he was about to replace the most successful and well-decorated coach in Liberty history, Kolb didn’t shy away from how important it was to find the perfect replacement for Brondello, who was lauded by fans, the media and her own players in Downtown Brooklyn.
“We need to nail this,” Kolb readily ceded toward the end of September, a week after New York’s abrupt exit from the postseason.
“If we’re going to make a bold decision like this, our players deserve to get the best, and so we’ll take the time necessary.”
Apparently, two months was what Kolb needed after watching four other coaching vacancies get filled following the WNBA Finals, which saw Las Vegas grab its third crown in four years behind superstar center A’ja Wilson and coach Becky Hammon.
DeMarco knows a thing or two about winning championships as well.
The 40-year-old Appleton, Wisconsin native has been a part of all four NBA titles Golden State has captured during his 13-year tenure in the Bay Area as a player-development guru and assistant.
His previous head-coaching experience includes leading the Warriors’ Summer League team and guiding the Bahamian national squad.
All Brondello did in Brooklyn was amass a team-record 107 wins, a Commissioner’s Cup trophy, the organization’s first visit to the Finals since 2002 and, of course, Title I, which was celebrated with a parade down the Canyon of Heroes.
But Kolb didn’t put together his Big Three of Sabrina Ionescu, Jones and Stewart, as well as bring in international standouts Emma Meesseman and Leonie Fiebich, to win one title.
The Liberty believe their superstar triumvirate will be back for another run at a championship next April despite their unrestricted free-agent status.
DeMarco was already seen taking in an NBA game in Utah alongside Ionescu on Monday.
Brondello won’t be back at Barclays Center until the season begins after taking a job with the Toronto Tempo, the league’s first-ever international franchise, which will begin play in 2026.
DeMarco is still working for the Warriors until further notice, but the Dominican University of California alum is on the hot seat to return New York to the Finals for the third time in four seasons.
Kolb admitted back in September that letting Brondello go wasn’t easy, but it was something he’d thought about even after the Liberty grabbed their long-awaited title in 2024.
“Very serious thought and consideration was made to retaining Sandy, but ultimately we determined that evolution and innovation is what is needed at this time,” he said.
“This is not a results-based organization,” Kolb added. “This is not about not winning or winning. It’s about how do we position ourselves to be at the top of the league in a real sustainable way as the league evolves.”
Brondello moved on faster than Kolb was able to find her replacement.
She also admitted that she could see the writing on the wall as New York went 27-17 to grab the fifth seed in the playoffs despite a myriad of injuries to key players throughout the year.
“It’s part of the business,” she noted after calling 2025 her most challenging season on the bench.
The 57-year-old Australian could have taken the Dallas job in the offseason, which would have given her a chance to work closely with rookie sensation Paige Bueckers.
Having already won two WNBA championships, her first coming with the Mercury in 2014, Brondello was itching to try something new.
As in an expansion franchise north of the border.
“I had a few options, but in the end I was really intrigued about starting from the very beginning and building something with really good people and in a different country,” she said.
“This is Canada’s team and I thought that would be very exciting and I’m up for every challenge.”
Once he receives the job officially, DeMarco will be the one up against it.
Not only will he have to help the Liberty advance beyond last year’s disappointing finish, he will have to win over a locker room full of players that had grown accustomed to Brondello’s style and manner.
And her winning pedigree.
“Every player loves her,” Liberty point guard Natasha Cloud insisted following the disappointing end to the campaign.
“I think there should be a lot more respect, and that can be said to our fans, too. She just brought you a first championship ever to this organization.”
Now, it’s DeMarco’s job to deliver Title II to the corner of Atlantic and Flatbush.
***
With a little time off to lick their wounds following Monday’s humbling home loss to the New York Knicks, the Nets (3-14) will host Philadelphia on Friday night at Barclays Center seeking their first home win of the year after eight consecutive defeats in Downtown Brooklyn.
Losers of three of their last four contests, the Sixers are coming off Tuesday’s 144-103 loss to visiting Orlando.
Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m.
The game will air locally on the YES Network.
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