New coach Chris DeMarco is already making his mark on the New York Liberty, starting with a significant overhaul of his coaching staff. The team has brought in four new assistants, including two former WNBA players, to help shape the roster’s identity.

The New York Liberty has already made four new signings that include Courtney Paris, Kristen Mann, Addi Walters, and Will Sheehey. Out of these four, Courtney Paris and Kristen Mann were former WNBA players themselves who played for some big names during their respective careers.

Courtney Paris was known for her size and physicality, and she could help the likes of Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones improve their rebounding, for which she was well regarded. She can also help the ladies improve their rim protection and pulverize any oncoming attack with a structured interior defense. Paris was also part of the Seattle Storm’s 2018 championship-winning squad, so that would help even further.

As for Mann, she will also come in handy with her pro tips on perimeter shooting, spacing, and off-ball movement. Imagine the benefits that players like Natasha Cloud and Marine Johannes can gain by listening to her advice. If the squad members can learn and apply those teachings on the court, maybe then Chris DeMarco’s women will be able to enhance their attacks without limiting themselves to just Ionescu and Stewart to do the bulk of their scoring.

Both Paris and Mann know what it takes to survive the grind of the WNBA, and their voices are more than likely to resonate with the players at large. Liberty has a stacked roster with no shortage of stars, and these two experienced coaches, along with Chris DeMarco at the helm, can bring out the grittiness that New Yorkers are known for.

Well, the teams might be gearing up for the upcoming season with a new line of players and staff altogether, but the real question boils down to when the new season will start, as the CBA issue still drags on.

Players’ Union Awaiting WNBA Proposal

After the last meeting regarding the CBA between the league and WNBA members was a total bust, the WNBA has now taken it upon itself to respond to the union’s December CBA proposal, though the timeline for the league to do so remains unclear.

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With everything coming to a standstill at this point, as no party is willing to budge an inch from their demands, things are looking quite grim at this point. WNBA fans still choose to stay optimistic about everything settling down before the season starts, but things have never been any murkier.

“After the meeting today, [a strike is] still on the table,” WNBPA VP Alysha Clark told FOS on Monday.

And that should serve as a stern warning as to what awaits if situations don’t improve. And that can very well happen if this insouciance by the league stretches on even further. However, the Washington Mystics forward also tempered the possibility of a work stoppage.

“Until we get a response from the league about proposals, there’s nothing that we’ve been able to negotiate and go back and forth with to even warrant ‘Ok, what does a strike look like?'” said Clark.

The revenue sharing has always been the crux of this discussion, as the two parties fail to see eye to eye on that sensitive subject. The WNBA’s recent proposal asks for a $1.3 million maximum salary, and that is the root of the problem right now.

With discussions going back and forth, the future of the WNBA is at stake; everyone will have their eyes on the successful completion of the deal, including Chris DeMarco. Well, you don’t just hire coaches to miss out on your first season in charge at the WNBA.