The WNBA is experiencing a historic surge in popularity, thanks to a star-studded 2024 draft class featuring Caitlin Clark, Cameron Brink, and Angel Reese. Record-breaking attendance and skyrocketing viewership have put the league in the spotlight like never before.

With this growth comes change—expansion franchises, a new labor deal, and updated officiating standards—all while fans are paying closer attention than ever. But for the New York Liberty, the toughest critics might not be in the stands. They're in the locker room.

In a recent episode of her podcast Game Recognize Game, Liberty star and former MVP Breanna Stewart revealed that first-year head coach Chris DeMarco—who joined the team after a stint with the Golden State Warriors—is running a tight ship. So tight, in fact, that players are being fined for missing box outs on free throws.

"We're a little bit mad about it," Stewart admitted. "Because it's like, what if the ball goes out of bounds… a bad bounce?"

While the fines are only $25 each, it's a clear sign of DeMarco's commitment to discipline. And with the Liberty among the title favorites this season, maybe that attention to detail is exactly what a championship contender needs.