The New York Liberty were considered strong championship contenders entering the 2026 season. It even looked like they were really onto something when they swept the Minnesota Lynx in the first round of the postseason, becoming the first eighth-seeded team in WNBA history to eliminate a No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
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But despite that historic achievement, the Liberty not only ended their season with a disappointing 3-0 series loss to the Atlanta Dream in the semifinals, but their postseason exit also capped off a campaign in which they finished as the eighth seed despite having one of the league’s most talented rosters.
According to former college basketball player and WNBA analyst Rachel DeMita, the New York Liberty were, in fact, the most disappointing team of the 2026 WNBA season. And for her, it is quite clear why that was the case: they simply did not play like a team that understood how to make the most of its talent.
“Well, my thing with the Liberty is I thought they were the most disappointing team of the season,” DeMita said, speaking on Thursday’s episode of the No Offseason podcast. “I think back to the beginning of the season when all of us were like, ‘Oh, the Liberty’s got it in the bag,’ because of the moves that they were making during the offseason. And I was like, ‘This is the Liberty’s year.’ Then they come out and they just kind of never clicked the entirety of the season.”
“And it’s like, you have pieces like this, and you have moments that show how great you guys can be. So, what’s going on here? And then obviously, I think the series against the Lynx was more about, ‘We have a chip on our shoulder. We’re trying to prove more.’ It was more about that than them actually clicking and playing with this outstanding basketball strategy. I think they just really wanted it. They found the weakness in the Lynx,” she added.
In truth, the offseason moves the New York Liberty made did indeed place them in conversations about championship contenders alongside the Las Vegas Aces. The defining moment of their offseason was the stunning free-agent acquisition of Satou Sabally, whom general manager Jonathan Kolb reportedly managed to convince to take a discount to help build a powerhouse superteam in Brooklyn.
Adding Sabally alongside the returning elite core of Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Sabrina Ionescu created an incredibly star-studded roster. Combined with the hiring of new head coach Chris DeMarco from the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, the Liberty entered May with undeniable championship expectations.
But despite those high expectations, they ended the regular season as the No. 8 seed with a 26–18 record. Alongside the lack of chemistry that DeMita attributed to their underperformance, their season was also heavily sidetracked by critical factors such as injuries. Marquee free-agent signing Sabally was limited to just 13 games before being ruled out for the season, while Ionescu and Leonie Fiebich both missed significant time dealing with persistent injuries.
There were also significant roster disruptions, with core piece Betnijah Laney-Hamilton falling out of the rotation entirely before being surprisingly waived just four days after the trade deadline. Meanwhile, in his first season as a head coach, DeMarco faced a steep learning curve while adjusting to the WNBA. The Liberty even fell to 13-12 by midseason, a stretch that even saw their own fans boo him.
Heading into next season, the New York Liberty will undoubtedly be looking to make changes to their roster and the team as a whole. However, despite the disappointing campaign and the questions surrounding his coaching, DeMarco seemed quite certain that any forthcoming decisions would not change his position as the Liberty’s head coach next season.
Silence Over DeMarco’s Future Creates Uncertainty Over His Continuity Despite His Confidence in Returning Next Season
When asked if he would be returning as the New York Liberty’s head coach next season, Chris DeMarco answered “yes” confidently, adding that every communication with the team had indicated as much. However, the responses from other key figures within the Liberty franchise did not appear to offer the same level of certainty about his future.
For example, both Jonquel Jones and Sabrina Ionescu were notably noncommittal in their responses, suggesting that whether DeMarco stays or leaves is a decision beyond their control.
“That’s not our say,” Jones said. “Our job is to go out, play good basketball, and represent the organization well, represent the fan base well, and our families well. I think we do a good job of focusing on that. And it is what it is.”
“I don’t know what’s going to happen. And regardless, [I’m] thankful for him coaching us this year, and obviously giving us a chance, and we just fell short,” Ionescu said.
Breanna Stewart, on the other hand, also deflected when asked about DeMarco’s future, offering no definitive indication of whether she expected him to remain in charge.
Ultimately, while DeMarco appears confident that he will return for another season, the responses from the Liberty’s key players suggest that the final decision rests elsewhere. With the franchise now facing important questions about its disappointing campaign, only time will tell whether the organization retains DeMarco or decides that a change in leadership is necessary to get the Liberty back into championship contention.