With 6.2 seconds left in the fourth quarter of Game 3 of the WNBA Semifinals, New York Liberty head coach Chris DeMarco finally called a reset timeout, something he had failed to do in Game 2 to everyone’s surprise. DeWanna Bonner had hit both her free throws before that to make the score 85-81, while a rebound after the timeout found its way into the net for two by Breanna Stewart. But it was too late as the buzzer sounded, spelling the death knell for the Liberty’s 2026 playoff journey. The veteran core of the Liberty were clearly devastated as Barclays Center fell silent, and questions about coach DeMarco’s tenure with the team became apparent to all.
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The Liberty’s core three – Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Sabrina Ionescu – faced the media in the post-game press conference. One important question that came their way was whether they believed Chris DeMarco would return as the Liberty’s HC next season. But none of them had a concrete response.
Center Jonquel Jones was the first to answer.
“That’s not our say,” said Jones (via WNBA on YouTube). “Our job is to go out and play basketball, represent our organization well, represent the fan base well, and our families. And I think we do a good job of focusing on that, and it is what it is.”
This was DeMarco’s very first season coaching a WNBA team. He previously served in various coaching positions for the Golden State Warriors in the NBA between 2012 and 2026. He was an assistant coach for the Warriors through all four of their last championship wins – in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022. But that success didn’t find its way in his first WNBA season.
After Jones’ response, Sabrina Ionescu was asked to address the question.
“That’s not our decision, and we’re thankful for everything that he’s done this year,” Ionescu said. “Just focusing on the now, the way he’s poured into us, and staying positive, level-headed through the ups and downs of this season…I don’t know what’s going to happen, but regardless, thankful for him coaching us this year.”
Chris DeMarco led the Liberty to a regular season record of 26-18, entering the playoffs as the 8th overall seed. This has been their lowest seeding since 2021, when they were in the same position. Moreover, 2026 became the first season that Breanna Stewart, who has competed in nine WNBA playoffs, was swept in a playoff series.
So even though she was asked to address DeMarco’s future, Stewart couldn’t help but move past the Semifinals heartbreak.
“I think it’s just tough to kind of talk or think about that right now,” said Stewart. “Echoing what they said, obviously, those decisions aren’t ours. My focus and what I’m thinking about right now is just like, missed opportunity… We went to the Finals two years in a row and haven’t gone since. But it’s really hard to get to the finals. It’s really hard to win a WNBA championship.”
Stewart led the Liberty to the WNBA Finals in 2024, when they overcame the Minnesota Lynx to win the championship 3-2. In a rematch this year in Round 1, the Liberty beat the Lynx again, becoming the first 8th-seeded team to ever sweep the top-seeded team as they pulled off a 2-0 win against the Lynx. But they were unable to keep up that momentum against the Atlanta Dream, who in turn swept them 3-0 in the Semifinals.
Stewart was also a part of the Liberty squad that made it to the 2023 WNBA Finals, where they lost to the Las Vegas Aces. As their title hopes came to an end once again, the three-time WNBA MVP did not shy away from addressing the pressure of expectation that the team faced.
“We want to win a championship every single time we step on the court, but it’s really hard in this league,” said Stewart. “And in order to do that, you need to be consistent for the full 44 games…I don’t think we were consistent throughout the season.”
Regardless, the Liberty were one of the most fearsome teams to face this season, led by Breanna Stewart, who averaged a monster team-leading 27.0 points per game in the 2026 postseason. She outperformed her regular-season PPG average, which stood at 20.8. But it turns out her former college coach, Geno Auriemma’s claim – that one should not bet against Stewart when there is a championship on the line – fell short this season as Game 3 against the Dream ended 85-83 in favor of Atlanta.
The Dream will now face either the Golden State Valkyries or the Las Vegas Aces for the ultimate WNBA glory – the Championship!