Liberty GM Jonathan Kolb stayed true to his words. “We want to take as long as it takes to find the right person,” Kolb had said. Now, after every franchise with a vacancy has finished hiring, Kolb chose Golden State Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco to carry the torch.

Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu reportedly played a part in the hiring process, which involved connecting with fellow sharpshooter Steph Curry.

Liberty had several strong candidates on their shortlist, including former Brooklyn Nets assistant Will Weaver, Phoenix Mercury associate head coach Kristi Toliver (a former WNBA champion), and Toronto Raptors assistant Jama Mahlalela. DeMarco was a fairly recent development. Ionescu and Steph Curry paved the way for DeMarco, who joined the Warriors in 2012 as an intern in the video room to eventually become an assistant coach. 

“It’s not news that blindsided the Warriors that they were in some ways part of the hiring process. I know Sabrina Ionescu reached out to Steph Curry during you know this hiring process to get his thoughts on Chris DeMarco,” Anthony Slater said on NBA Today.

Sabrina Ionescu and Steph Curry went head-to-head in the first-ever NBA vs. WNBA 3-point contest in 2024. Curry came away with the win, but Ionescu finished three points behind, with her 26 points tying Damian Lillard’s 2024 NBA 3-Point Contest winning score. However, their relationship goes further back. Ionescu grew up with Curry as her idol, and it shows in her game. 

As she grew up in the basketball world and interacted with Curry, a more personal relationship was born.

“It’s really crazy to think of, you know, I don’t really see him as a basketball player,” Ionescu said in 2020, “I see him as a person and a friend, almost like a big brother. It’s been cool to see our relationship grow and continue to grow.”

During the 2020 Covid lockdown, the two also trained together when both the NBA and the WNBA were suspended. 

As a result, when talks around hiring Chris DeMarco started emerging, who Curry has known for more than a decade, a conversation with the “big brother” helped Liberty and Ionescu. Since they are similar kinds of players, it could have been important for Ionescu to understand what DeMarco’s philosophy is and whether it fits her game. The New York Liberty brand of basketball under Sandy Brondello was similar to the Warriors. Ionescu has thrived in that spacing and shooting style. 

That conversation regarding Chris DeMarco must also be a factor in deciding whether she should re-sign with Liberty at all. She (and most of the team) is a free agent in this offseason and has a chance to move out. Since she was heavily involved in this hiring, it could be a signal of her commitment to Liberty.

Ionescu will now work with DeMarco to build Liberty, albeit with a delay. 

Chris DeMarco’s Liberty Arrival Delayed By The Warriors

All of the new coaches have already been introduced. Sandy Brondello has laid out the future for Toronto. Jose Fernandez has started working with Paige Bueckers to revamp the Dallas Wings. Sonia Raman was introduced as a Seattle Storm coach a couple of weeks ago.

However, Chris DeMarco will not arrive in New York so soon. The Golden State Warriors plan to release him somewhere between the course of the NBA season. 

“Chris DeMarco will be on the bench tonight, and I would say in the near future. But him and the franchise the Warriors are figuring out when his departure will be. And it’ll be at some point during this season when they lose him, when they lose him, basically, they lose one of their defensive strategists. He’s been the right-hand man for Mike Brown. Kenny Atkinson and now Jerry Stackhouse. You know, strategizing the defense,” Slater said. 

DeMarco has been one of the premier assistants for the Warriors this season. Over the years, he has gone from video coordinator to advanced scout to Assistant Coach/player development. Then, to an Assistant coach/director of player development to a full-fledged assistant Warriors coach, which he has been since July of 2021. 

The Warriors are currently in a critical stretch after starting the season 9-8. They are experiencing an early injury crisis with Steph Curry missing some time. The likes of Jonathan Kuminga, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, and Buddy Hield are still recovering from their respective injuries. 

On the Liberty’s end, there are not many decisions to be made until the CBA is finalized. New York has just two players under contract: veterans Leonie Fiebich and Nyara Sabally. Any signings or retentions will happen once the new CBA is in place. Clearly, the Warriors need DeMarco more than the Liberty for now.