On a Superteam of Stars, Betnijah Laney Is the Liberty’s Unsung Hero

The Liberty have nearly every weapon a team could want in its arsenal after a well-documented offseason roster overall. Reigning WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart, former league MVP Jonquel Jones and 2021 WNBA champion Courtney Vandersloot joined a team led by Oregon phenom Sabrina Ionescu, assembling a superteam to rival its West Coast counterpart in Las Vegas. However, it’s hard to imagine Sandy Brondello’s squad where it is now—in the midst of a semifinal playoff run—without one key piece. Someone who has been in New York all along. Well, at least since 2021.

On a team filled with superstars, Betnijah Laney is the Liberty’s unsung hero.

“I think just the way that she just constantly and consistently makes an impact, whether it’s guarding out the team’s best player or making plays, she is someone who knows what she is good at and she’s confident in it,” Stewart said of Laney. 

Mary Altaffer/AP