The New York Liberty remains the only team in the WNBA without a head coach after the Seattle Storm’s appointment of Sonia Raman to the position. However, the franchise is not in a hurry to hire, as the front office is constantly evaluating a few names, which include Jama Mahlalela from the Toronto Raptors.
The assistant coach had been with the franchise since 2013, and after a small stint with the G league side and Golden State Warriors, Mahlalela returned to his ‘preferred’ franchise. Now the Liberty is looking to swoop in with a head coach opportunity.
New York Liberty Short List Jama Mahlalela For Head Coach Role
The WNBA and WNBPA are working on their CBA deal, while the teams are looking to strengthen their back offices and facility centers to be ready for the ‘exciting’ free agency and draft. According to league sources, the Liberty have three candidates in mind, and the Toronto Raptors’ assistant coach is one of them.
Having worked as a player development coach and assistant coach under top NBA coaches such as Nick Nurse, Darko Rajakovic, and Steve Kerr, the 45-year-old has ample experience to guide teams in competitive leagues. He closely worked with the forwards in the team, which has always been the focus of the Liberty franchise, as it has a rich pool of forward players on its roster.
“The next head coach of the WNBA's New York Liberty, according to league sources, will be one of these three finalists: Phoenix Mercury assistant coach Kristi Tolliver, former Nets assistant Will Weaver and Raptors assistant Jama Mahlalela.”
— Omer Osman (@OmerOsman200) November 14, 2025
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Interestingly, the sources also confirm that the Raptors are not opposed to Mahlalela’s departure and rather expected a few inquiries about their staff. As per Marc Steins’ report, Mahlalela is one of the finalists for the job, along with Phoenix Mercury assistant Kristi Toliver and former NBA assistant Will Weaver.
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Apart from the coach position, the Liberty will be looking to work closely with the franchise’s top players to build the 2026 roster. The New York Liberty GM Jonathan Kolb declares ‘massive opportunity’ ahead days after firing coach Sandy Brondello, and expressed confidence in keeping the star players at the franchise.
New York Liberty Aiming For Top Players In Free Agency Signings
After winning the 2024 championship as the top-seeded team and finishing in fifth position in the 2025 season, the NY team will not be expecting a higher first-rounder in the 2026 WNBA draft. The side needs to rely on free agency to bring in more talent for the upcoming season.
Their focus, though, is on keeping the core of the franchise – specifically, re-signing Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart, and Jonquel Jones. More importantly, all three of these stars have expressed a desire to run it back with the Liberty team, which is a positive sign for the Liberty fanbase. Moreover, they currently have two rookies, Nayra Sabally and Leonie Fiebich, under contract for the 2026 season.