27-17. The number five seed in the WNBA playoffs. A playoff bound team with an embarrassment of stars across the roster. Such facts around a team would generally warrant a positive reaction from any fanbase in the Association. In a league filled with a myriad of star-powered teams, the New York Liberty boast a standard as one of those premier teams, for only a handful matchup with the pure talent on the roster.
For the team out of Barclays however, good is simply not good enough.
The final statistics regarding the Liberty do not adequately spell out the season as a whole. After a dominant start to the season with nine wins in their first ten games, the 2024 WNBA Champions declined around midseason, with some bumps expected more than others. Offensive regression, tough losses, additions of rotational pieces (Stephanie Talbot and Emma Meesseman), and a championship hangover are all reasons that can be accounted for and adjusted towards. But some pieces are just indispensable to a team looking to contend.
That piece wears the number 44.
Here to save the day
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton has proved her worth by, ironically enough, missing the entirety of the 2025 season. After suffering a knee injury during Unrivaled, the Liberty announced she would miss the season while rehabbing a meniscus tear.
To compensate for Laney-Hamilton’s absence, Sandy Brondello shuffled responsibility; more Sabrina Ionescu on-ball actions, Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones working harder on both ends, and increased minutes for smaller ball lineups.
Regardless of the MacGyver-like strategy of the Liberty, the impression of Laney-Hamilton’s +16 net rating simply could not be replaced. Without their stalwart forward, the Liberty were good. But again, in a league with teams such as the Aces, Dream, and Lynx…
Good is simply not good enough.
The Liberty understand this notion, rewarding Laney-Hamilton with a one-year, $400,000 contract to help re-direct a championship caliber team with her all-star, veteran play.
“Betnijah Laney-Hamilton is foundational to who we are as an organization,” Liberty GM Jonathan Kolb said. “Betnijah is as healthy as she’s been in years, and her presence elevates everything we do on both ends of the floor. Quite simply, the WNBA is better when Betnijah is a part of it, and having her back on the floor means a great deal to this franchise.”
Kolb’s sentiment is not to be taken lightly. Prior to the injury, Laney-Hamilton started all but six games during her Liberty tenure. During that time, Laney-Hamilton recorded averages of nearly 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists per game. Her playoff impact is even more pronounced. Laney-Hamilton had a game for the ages as her 20 points on 57 percent shooting in Game 2 of the 2024 Finals helped the Liberty even the Finals at 1 against the Minnesota Lynx
Laney-Hamilton returns to Barclays as the second-longest tenured player on the roster, just behind homegrown talent Sabrina Ionescu. The veteran wing will join the squad for their historic 30th season at Barclays Center, where they will try to rediscover the glory of their 2024 season. It’s gonna take a team effort to get back to the Finals. Thankfully,