Warriors' Defensive Ace Chris DeMarco Named Liberty Head Coach

Merlin sees the New York Liberty have tapped longtime Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco as their next head coach, replacing Sandy Brondello after a first‑round exit. His resume — four NBA championships, a defensive specialist role in Golden State, Summer League leadership and international success with the Bahamas — matters because New York needs immediate defensive repair and a coach who can sell a win‑now vision to star players. Merlin notes DeMarco’s defensive chops and championship seasoning could steady a team whose defensive rating slipped and whose roster is clouded by CBA uncertainty. GM Jonathan Kolb’s “utmost confidence” that the Liberty’s big three want to return is a vote of faith; still, signing momentum will depend on how quickly DeMarco turns talk into on‑court results and reassurance for Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones.