In recent years, the New York Liberty has quietly positioned itself as a basketball powerhouse alongside the Las Vegas Aces and the Minnesota Lynx. The team might not have won many titles to boast of, but they have also been in the conversation when discussing WNBA Championship-contending teams. Five consecutive playoff qualifications, including a coveted title in 2024, have truly solidified their status as a top-tier team. Yet none of it gives a clear picture of the team.
While the Liberty did win the 2024 Championships, they also fumbled badly in the playoffs last season. As a result, it raises a question of the version of Liberty we’re going to get this season, the 2024 one or the 2025 one? Thus, without wasting any time, let’s dig deeper into the New York Liberty’s look-ahead for the upcoming season.
Life After the Title Run
Fresh off their first WNBA title run, the NY Liberty were envisioning another stellar season last year. With their core returning to the helm, they even had a great opportunity to go back-to-back in Championships. But as reality set in, they were outdone by the burden of their own expectations, finishing the regular season 27-17, second in the Eastern Conference.
The team struggled immensely in the middle phase of the season after a strong 9-0 start. Continuous defeats became a trend for the New York Liberty during that middle phase as the team struggled with injuries to crucial players like Jonquel Jones. The team struggled to shoot beyond the arc, scoring just over 35%, and also faced a slump in rebounding, with the average dropping to 33.7 from 36.6 last year.
They reached the playoffs as the No. 5 seed but couldn’t really capitalize, losing to the Phoenix Mercury in the first round 1-2, diminishing all hopes of back-to-back titles. And courtesy of that disappointing run, the pressure to make a comeback from this slump will definitely be on the back of the minds for the entire team.
Why Satou Sabally Changes Everything?
To understand Sabally’s significance to the NY Liberty, we’ll have to clearly understand what she brings to the table for them. Having said that, it’s also important to know that Sabally isn’t your regular forward who just brings a physical presence to the court. Of course, she does that as well; a career rebounding average of 6.7 and 1.2 steals validates that immediately.
Besides that, she’s also a fierce scorer and is efficient from all three scoring positions. The former Phoenix Mercury player has a career points average of over 15, while scoring north of 4% from the field and over 33% from beyond the arc. Thereby, Sabally’s addition doesn’t just add depth to Liberty’s front court but also allows head coach DeMarco to initiate offense from any position on the court. Be it scoring, driving on loose balls, or creating pressure on opposition attackers, Sabally can do it all. This is why she has been given the nickname of “Unicorn” as Sabally is versatile.
Speaking at a press conference a few days ago, the Liberty head coach clearly outlined the skill set Sabally brings to the team. “If we’re talking on the court, like her versatility, she’s got a dog to her that I absolutely love,” he said. “She’s going to fight. You can play a lot of different ways with her, but really her personality, what she brings about the course is really important for us too.”
Furthermore, there is also a bit of chemistry associated with this regard. For context, Liberty veteran Sabrina Ionescu and Sabally have been teammates during their college days in Oregon. As a result, they can also link up quite well on the court, as they look to make the team a powerhouse for the 2026 season.
Chris DeMarco’s Vision for the New Era
Moving on from Sandy Brondello to the Chris DeMarco era is a caveat the Liberty players will have to deal with this season. But the positive in this regard is that DeMarco is no first-timer. The 40-year-old has extensive NBA experience, having won four NBA Championships with Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors.
Furthermore, he has worked with players like Steph Curry and Draymond Green, and is also said to have played a part in their development over the years. As a result, his input in the head coaching table for Liberty is as valuable as it gets. Tactically, DeMarco is immensely stringent on efficient defending and doesn’t even hesitate to confront the stars in the room if anything goes wrong.
For his Liberty stint, though, DeMarco has clearly outlined that his team will be driven by the players and he will be immensely collaborative in that regard. All in all, with DeMarco’s inputs and a star-studded team, the team can pull off a rabbit out of the hat in the 2026 WNBA season.
The Core That Still Makes New York Dangerous
A major positive indicator for the Liberty heading into the 2026 season is that, as last season, they have their core back. Their Big Three- Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones, along with Leonie Fiebich, are all returning for the season, leading to their staggering roster depth. Of course, they have also lost certain key players like Natasha Cloud in the free agency.
But their returners in Stewart, Ionescu, and Jones are all experienced campaigners and also have a Championship-winning experience, and are quite substantial to carry Liberty to success going into the season. With Stewart and Jones, along with Sabally in their roster, Liberty’s front court looks quite daunting. Stewart, their defensive stronghold, is equally efficient on offense, scoring over 18.4 points per game last season while averaging 1.4 blocks and steals per game.
Jones brings that dominance on the boards, keeping the momentum towards Liberty in loose balls. Fiebich can also chip in from the bench in maintaining the team’s momentum. For their perimeter player, they have Ionescu, who has proved her prowess time and again in the W. This also adds weight to their season ceiling and explains why they have one of the most complete cores in the league.
What Does Success Actually Look Like in 2026?
Now, with such roster depth and a core of veterans, it’s quite certain that the New York Liberty definitely has a playoff ceiling for the season. Getting accustomed to Chris DeMarco’s system might take a bit of time, especially after they played under Sandy Brondello for the last few years, which also yielded them a WNBA Championship. After all, DeMarco is a proven genius as he had spent fourteen seasons with the Golden State Warriors, propelling the team to deliver their very best. He had also coached Bahamas Men’s National Team in which the team had created history by defeating host Argentina in the 2024 Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament final. With veterans who can take on-court matters into their own hands, it would be unfair to say they will get bogged down by a new system.
All the positive indicators for the New York Liberty suggest the team should at least reach the WNBA semifinals this season, and anything beyond that would be an added bonus.
