The Golden State Valkyries 2026 championship concluded the season, leaving two head coach openings already: the Los Angeles Sparks and the New York Liberty. The Sparks dismissed Lynne Roberts after two seasons with no playoff appearances, extending the franchise's postseason drought to six years. Roberts succeeded Curt Miller in 2024 and was tasked with a major rebuild, acquiring Kelsey Plum in her first year, but the team went 21-23.
This past season, Roberts returned veteran Nneka Ogwumike but traded away Plum and Rickea Jackson; the Sparks ultimately finished 16-28, giving Roberts a combined 37-50 mark. Meanwhile, the New York Liberty let go of Chris De Marco after one season. De Marco, a former Golden State Warriors assistant, had guided the Liberty to a Commissioner's Cup championship and a 26-18 regular season finish, securing the No. 8 playoff seed.
Despite a historic first-round sweep of the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx, the Liberty were swept in the semifinals by Atlanta. De Marco was expected to return, but lost the confidence of the team's three stars, Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones. General manager Jonathan Kolb now searches for a third coach since 2021.
ESPN is tracking all WNBA coaching hirings and firings throughout the offseason, providing analysis as they occur, with both the Sparks and Liberty aiming to make new hires before free agency begins at the beginning of 2027.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing