The New York Liberty have a strong chance of repeating as champions in 2025, but they will be without one of their best players for a significant portion of the season. According to espnW, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton will miss five-six months after undergoing knee surgery. The five-six month timeline leaves the door open for Laney-Hamilton to return during the second half of the season. Still, she will be missed while she is out without question.
Laney-Hamilton helped the Liberty earn a WNBA Finals victory a season ago. The 31-year-old averaged 11.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.1 steals per outing during the 2024-25 campaign. She also shot 45.6 percent from the field and 40.2 percent on her three-point attempts.
Laney-Hamilton offers a strong combination of offensive and defensive prowess that will certainly be missed during her injury absence.
Overall, she has played at the WNBA level since 2015, as she made her debut in the league with the Chicago Sky. Laney-Hamilton has since played with the Connecticut Sun, Indiana Fever, Atlanta Dream and the Liberty. She first joined New York in 2021 and immediately earned her first and only WNBA All-Star selection.
Her impact on the Liberty over the years has been of the utmost importance. Although Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones have led the way, New York understands how crucial Betnijah Laney-Hamilton's play has been to the team's success.
Liberty will try to find success despite Betnijah Laney-Hamilton's injury absence
The Liberty feature enough depth on the roster to still compete despite her absence. Nevertheless, they will feel the impact of her absence. If she is able to return late in the 2025 WNBA season, it will feel like a pivotal acquisition for the Liberty.
The Liberty are among the favorites to reach the WNBA Finals. Many experts are selecting New York to win a second consecutive championship. Repeating as the WNBA Finals winner is never a simple task, but it is possible. The Las Vegas Aces most recently accomplished the feat in 2022 and 2023. Las Vegas made another run in 2024, but New York defeated them in the semifinals of the postseason.
The New York Liberty will be a team to watch closely all season long. Further updates will be provided on Betnijah Laney-Hamilton's injury status once they are made available. For now, she is expected to miss five-six months after undergoing knee surgery.