The 2026 season is underway, with teams ready to establish their authority early in the season. The New York Liberty is one of the top five teams in the 2026 season, with the mega roster adjustments, and was in control of the opening game of the season right from the start. But it was more of a test for coach Chris DeMarco, who was coaching his first WNBA game.
His team, though, showed the effort put in during training camp and won the game by 31 points. While it was a first victory for the debutant coach, he couldn’t hold his emotions and opened up about the memory he would cherish from the game.
Chris DeMarco Praises Crowd’s Response After First Win
Even though it was a season opener, the Liberty side looked sharp on the floor, shooting efficiently and defending effectively. Forward Laney Hamilton even dropped a nasty ankle breaker on rookie Gianna Kneepkens in a ” Welcome to the WNBA moment.
So when reporters asked the Liberty coach what memory he would look to take back from the first win, he simply said, “Just the pride I had in watching the crowd go nuts. This is exactly why I love this game. It’s why I love to coach, it’s watching the players figure it out and compete.”
Chris DeMarco on his first game as Liberty head coach:
— New York Liberty Videos (@SNYLiberty) May 9, 2026
"Just the pride I had in watching the crowd go nuts. This is exactly why I love this game. It's why I love to coach, it's watching the players figure it out and compete" pic.twitter.com/XhhMtmggqs
As part of the most popular Warriors’ side, DeMarco has already experienced the fan backing and following at the NBA level and now gets to see a similar atmosphere at the WNBA level, too.
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While it’s still too early to see this win as a barometer for what to expect from the rest of the season, the coach also highlighted the style of leadership he wants from the team.
Chris DeMarco Explains His Leadership Role
Sandy Brondello left a massive impact on the franchise, which won its first championship back in 2024. Now looking to fill in those shoes and even do better on the floor, Coach DeMarco will have to be a strong leader. He answered his ideology about being the leader on the floor.
“I would say connected. I want my staff connected, want my players connected on the floor. It’s big for me to build relationships, to build trust. I’ve really tried to bring our words to life in terms of when we’re talking value, culture, identity, really explain what those mean. If the players understand that I care about them and I care about their careers, and they understand that our staff does, then anything we’ll do is to get them better and get this team better,” DeMarco said in the interview.
Congrats to Coach Chris on his 1st win of the season 👏 pic.twitter.com/2IkhBiPqjv
— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) May 9, 2026
Even without a few key players, the Liberty team did well on the season opener and will look to continue their form under the new coach’s leadership.