The New York Liberty officially introduced Warriors assistant coach Chris DeMarco as the WNBA franchise’s new head coach on Wednesday afternoon.
During his half-hour news conference, DeMarco, 40, outlined his coaching philosophy and coaching ethos. It is a foundation that he said was influenced by both his time with Golden State and as head coach of the Bahamas men’s national team.
“I was raised the right way in the right culture by Steve Kerr,” DeMarco told reporters. “I’ve grown as a coach and I want to do the same for anybody else on my staff.”
He began his Golden State career as a video intern in 2012, and eventually became one of Kerr’s lead assistants. After almost 14 years with the Warriors, DeMarco was ready to take the next step in his career.
“I’ve spent a lot of time on the defensive side of the ball as a coach, and started to develop offensively,” DeMarco said. “I’ve done player development, I’ve been a video coordinator, I’ve been a scout and done everything I can outside of being a head coach in the NBA.”
Now, DeMarco will get his chance to lead a franchise that won the WNBA title in 2024 and features stars such as Walnut Creek’s Sabrina Ionescu, the Bahamas’ Jonquel Jones and the uber-talented Breanna Stewart. They are players who DeMarco compared to the stars from Golden State’s heyday.
“That’s what I saw over and over again with the Steph Currys, the Draymond Greens, the Klay Thompsons and all the veterans we would bring in … these guys are all pros, and they all would teach the younger players how to work,” DeMarco said.
After a disappointing first-round exit this autumn, the Liberty fired Sandy Brondello. But the star-studded core remains.
I’m very excited, mainly because of the championship pedigree,” DeMarco said. “For those who have won at the highest level, it’s so hard to get there. We have an organization that’s been there and a team full of players who have been there.”
Ionescu attended the Warriors’ home game against the Jazz on Nov. 24, and she and DeMarco were seen talking before and after the Warriors’ win.
DeMarco said his last game with the Warriors will be Dec. 29, when the team visits Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, where the Liberty and the NBA’s Nets play.
During the hiring process, DeMarco said he spoke with Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase, as well as Phoenix Mercury general manager and former Warriors coach Nick U’ren and current Phoenix coach Nate Tibbetts.
DeMarco will join the team during a tumultuous time in the growing league’s history. The owners and the players’ union are embroiled in contentious negotiations over the WNBA’s next collective bargaining agreement, and a lockout is a possibility.
However, he also joins a team that, despite the uncertainty, should have as talented a core as there is in the WNBA.
“The foundation is there, and when you have players who have already won, it’s such a competitive advantage in any league,” DeMarco said.