As Chris DeMarco pulled up to Barclays Center on Tuesday morning, excitement washed over him.
His face, with the message, “Welcome to New York head coach Chris DeMarco,” lit up on the LED screens outside of the arena, aka his new office.
“It was surreal,” DeMarco said Wednesday. “I grew up [on] Long Island, and New York’s always felt like home to me. To get this opportunity to be a head coach, it’s a great organization, it’s a dream really.”
The Liberty’s two-month-long search wrapped up late last month with the hiring of DeMarco, a longtime Warriors assistant who also coached the Bahamian men’s national team in the lead up to the 2024 Paris Games.
DeMarco fits the mold for what general manager Jonathan Kolb and his team were looking for in the team’s next coach: An elite level of tactical confidence; an established leadership style with deep curiosity for the game; an unwavering drive to uncover every strategic edge; a deep understanding of the habits that go into building a dynasty.
DeMarco proved he had all that and more to offer, and he’s eager for the pressure-packed journey that lies ahead.
“If you ever played any sport and you’re competitive, this is what you want. You want to be around the best players in the world. You want to be in the best situations for your career and you want a chance to win,” DeMarco said. “And if you don’t, then this is probably not the right career for you.”
The Liberty, only a year and change removed from winning the franchise’s first WNBA title, refuse to be a one-hit wonder. They want to build sustained success.
So who better to bring in than someone who’s had a part in one of basketball’s greatest modern dynasties?
DeMarco’s fingerprints are all over four of the Larry O’Brien trophies in Chase Center.
He worked for the Warriors — first under Mark Jackson then Steve Kerr — the past 14 years. He started as a video coordinator and scout before being promoted to director of player development and then to assistant coach.
DeMarco moved to a highly coveted front-of-the-bench position this season and serves as Kerr’s right-hand man, who runs the team’s defense, which is ranked in the top three in the NBA this season.
In total, he’s been on the bench for 171 playoff games and six trips to the NBA Finals.
DeMarco doesn’t have a background in women’s basketball. He said he watched the WNBA from afar as a fan. But he’s ready to make his impact on the league.
Covering the Liberty like never before
Sign up for Madeline Kenney’s Inside the Liberty, a weekly Sports+ newsletter.
Thank you
DeMarco started to consider taking the leap to being a head coach after leading the Bahamas on a historic run that fell just short of the country making its Olympic debut in men’s basketball.
“When this opportunity came up, and I did just a little bit of research, it was a no-brainer,” DeMarco said. “This is the best opportunity in the WNBA.”
DeMarco talked to Mercury general manager and former Warriors front-office staffer Nick U’Ren, Mercury coach and former Magic assistant coach Nate Tibbetts and Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase about making the transition from the NBA to the WNBA.
While he’s technically still working for the Warriors through the end of the year — he said his last game will be Golden State’s Dec. 29 contest in Brooklyn — DeMarco has been spending his free time combing over WNBA film. He said he’s bought every Liberty book available online, too.
DeMarco believes the Liberty have strong bones. Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu, both free agents, are expected to return. The Liberty have Nyara Sabally and Leonie Fiebich under contract and other players’ rights, including Betnijah Laney-Hamilton and Marine Johannès (among others).
All were members of the 2024 championship-winning team. All know how hard it is to claim the league’s top spot. He’s setting his sights high and embracing the bright spotlight.
“For 2026, obviously we have championship aspirations,” DeMarco said. “That’s always going to be the goal. It’s about developing players, building the right culture and making sure we’re competitive every game.”
This is a full-circle moment for DeMarco, who lived on Long Island until the first grade before moving to Appleton, Wisconsin.
DeMarco’s late father, Sal, is a native New Yorker, who had the thick accent and all. He used to visit family and take trips to Jones Beach every summer.
His father developed the reputation in small-town Wisconsin as the coach “who was a little intense for the Midwest at times,” DeMarco said.
“I’ve always been drawn to the city,” DeMarco continued. “And again, I talked about the championship pedigree here. I want to go somewhere where we have a chance to win and with the support of ownership and the way ownership aligns with management and now the head coach.
“This is just an exciting opportunity.”
Leave a Reply