Betnijah Laney-Hamilton

Acutely aware of the advantages associated with battling a fatigued Indiana Fever team playing in its 11th game over a 20-day span, the New York Liberty took the phrase regarding basketball being a “game of runs” to an entirely new level. With her versatile imprint already on display just two-and-a-half minutes into New York’s opening-quarter demonstration, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton sets the groundwork for a remarkable sequence, first by battling through a screen to force a miss on Caitlin Clark’s 28-foot triple. Then, forced to re-adjust with her teammate’s outlet pass leading her towards the closely-approaching out-of-bounds line, the 2021 All-Star takes the challenge, contorting her body mid-flight to deliver a smoothly-timed dish to her teammate for a transition score. Laney-Hamilton’s contributions to New York’s wire-to-wire, 36-point Commissioner's Cup win on June 2, 2024 provided style, substance, and ultimately, history. In between surpassing the 2,000-point plateau and switching to keep Indiana’s high-profile backcourt under wraps, the 2023 All-Defensive Teamer also tallied 20 points — on seven-of-nine shooting — alongside five assists and two steals, fueling New York’s best start since 1997.