8 Candidates to Replace Chris DeMarco as New York Liberty Head Coach
Chris DeMarco is out as New York Liberty head coach after just one underwhelming season. The decision came as no surprise after a coaching blunder cost the Liberty Game 2 of the semifinals and none of the team’s three stars voiced their support for him in their final media availability—something Breanna Stewart openly did when asked about Sandy Brondello’s future with the team just a year ago.
The Liberty clearly valued NBA experience in their last head coaching search. But they might want to rethink that approach. Every coach who won a title this decade had extensive WNBA experience, either as a player or from previous coaching stops.
Kristi Toliver, Phoenix Mercury
Kristi Toliver was a finalist for the Liberty’s coaching job last year, and it would make sense to revisit her as a candidate. Toliver has extensive WNBA experience as a player, spending 14 seasons in the W and winning two titles with the Los Angeles Sparks and Washington Mystics.
Toliver also has lots of coaching experience in the NBA and WNBA. She became an assistant coach with the Washington Wizards in 2018, while she was still playing. In 2021, she moved on to the Dallas Mavericks. When she retired from the W in 2023, she took on the position of associate head coach with the Phoenix Mercury.
James Wade
James Wade last worked as an assistant coach with the Toronto Raptors in the NBA. However, he was in the WNBA for many years before that. He worked as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Stars and Minnesota Lynx and as the Chicago Sky’s head coach from 2019 to 2023. He led the Sky to a title in 2021 and was named Coach of the Year in 2019. If the Liberty still want NBA experience but also understand the value of WNBA experience now, Wade could be a great option.
Lindsey Harding, Los Angeles Lakers
Lindsey Harding is another former player primed for a head coaching position. She spent nine years playing in the WNBA, including a stint with the Liberty in her last season. As a coach, Harding has plenty of NBA experience. She was an assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings and now works on JJ Redick’s Los Angeles Lakers staff. Harding also led the Stockton Kings in the 2023-24 G League season, becoming the first woman to be named G League Coach of the Year.
Roneeka Hodges, Connecticut Sun
Many fans wanted to see Roneeka Hodges take over as the Houston Comets’ head coach once the move from Connecticut was complete, but Rachid Meziane will retain that job. Hodges played for the Comets during her 11-year WNBA career, and she is generally viewed as a rising star among coaches. She was named Unrivaled Coach of the Year for the 2026 season.
Hodges also has a link to the Liberty. She was an assistant coach under Sandy Brondello from 2022 to 2024, helping the team win its first championship.
Jenny Boucek, Indiana Pacers
Jenny Boucek checks every box a WNBA franchise could look for. She played for the Cleveland Rockers in 1997 and spent a season overseas. Then, she focused on coaching. Boucek spent several years as an assistant coach for various WNBA teams. She was also the Sacramento Monarchs’ head coach from 2007 to 2009 and led the Seattle Storm between 2015 and 2017. Since then, she has worked as an assistant coach in the NBA for the Sacramento Kings, Dallas Mavericks, and now the Indiana Pacers.
Briann January, Indiana Fever
Briann January is another former player who has received a lot of attention as a potential head coach. She spent 14 seasons in the WNBA, playing for the Fever, Mercury, Connecticut Sun, and Seattle Storm. She won a title in 2012 and earned seven All-Defensive Team honors in her career.
She started her coaching career as an assistant at Arizona State before moving on to the Sun. In 2024, January took a job as an assistant coach in the NBA G League. After one season, she joined Stephanie White’s coaching staff in Indiana.
Stephanie White, Indiana Fever
Speaking of Stephanie White…This one could be more of a long shot than the other options because White still has a year left on her contract with the Fever. But the Fever are in the middle of a front office overhaul, and new GMs don’t often like to keep a coach someone else hired. If the Fever are ready to move on or White simply wants more job security, the Liberty could swoop in and poach a proven WNBA head coach to replace DeMarco.
Teresa Weatherspoon, Vinyl BC
Teresa Weatherspoon’s first WNBA head coaching job only lasted one season, but everything that happened in Chicago these past few years needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Weatherspoon is an all-time great as a player and spent most of her WNBA career with the Liberty. She led Vinyl BC to the Unrivaled Finals in 2025 and the semifinals in 2026.
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Elaine Blum covers women’s basketball for On SI from Europe. She has been writing about women's hoops since 2023 and holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism and a master’s degree in American Studies with a focus on women’s and gender studies. She started playing basketball when she was 10 years old and won several league and state championships at the youth and senior level.