The 2026 WNBA season has concluded with the Golden State Valkyries claiming the championship, but the post-season landscape is already shifting as two prominent franchises enter the offseason with head coaching vacancies. The Los Angeles Sparks and the New York Liberty are now in search of new leadership, creating significant openings that will shape the league's competitive dynamics for the coming year.
The New York Liberty made the decision to part ways with head coach Chris DeMarco on November 3, just days after the conclusion of Game 7 in the WNBA Finals. DeMarco, who previously served as an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors, led a team that faced intense internal and external pressure to return to the title. The Liberty had won the championship in 2024 under Sandy Brondello but parted ways with her the following year after a first-round playoff elimination.
Under DeMarco's guidance, the Liberty began the season with a 13-12 record before capturing the Commissioner's Cup in late June. They finished the regular season with a 26-18 record, securing the final playoff spot as the No. 8 seed. The team achieved a historic first-round sweep of the No. 1 seed, Minnesota, but were subsequently eliminated in the semifinals by Atlanta in a best-of-five series.
Controversy surrounded the end of Game 2 in the semifinal series. DeMarco did not use the team's final reset timeout during overtime or attempt to stop the game to clarify the timeout situation. Although DeMarco expected to return for a second season, he did not receive a vote of confidence from the team's three key stars: Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones. Stewart stated after the elimination that she firmly believed the roster had the talent to win a championship and expressed regret over the missed opportunity.
General Manager Jonathan Kolb will now oversee the search for a third head coach for the Liberty since 2021. Both the Liberty and the Sparks are expected to finalize their hiring decisions before free agency begins at the start of 2027.
The Los Angeles Sparks dismissed head coach Lynne Roberts on September 25, ending her tenure after two seasons. The decision extended the franchise's playoff drought to six years, as Roberts failed to secure a postseason appearance during her time with the team.
Roberts succeeded Curt Miller in 2024 and became the second coach to transition directly from college basketball to the WNBA. She was tasked with a major rebuild, which included acquiring free agent Kelsey Plum in her first year. Despite the addition, the Sparks finished 21-23 and missed the playoffs.
During the 2026 season, Roberts brought back veteran Nneka Ogwumike but also made significant roster changes, trading Plum to Phoenix and former first-round pick Rickea Jackson to Chicago. The team finished the season with a 16-28 record, giving Roberts a combined mark of 37-50 over her two years in Los Angeles.
As the offseason progresses, attention will turn to the hiring markets for both New York and Los Angeles. The choices made by these franchises will be critical in determining their trajectories for the 2027 campaign and beyond.
