For Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, a championship ring, a Most Improved Player award, an All-Star nod, and two All-Defensive selections were not enough to warrant a place on The New York Liberty roster. The Liberty announced their decision to waive the veteran forward on Thursday, August 6, and general manager Jonathan Kolb opened up about the decision in an official Liberty release.

“We want to thank Betnijah for everything she has given to this organization. She has been an instrumental part of our success since 2021 and has made a lasting impact on our team, both on and off the court. We’re incredibly grateful for her professionalism, leadership, and the commitment she brought to the New York Liberty every day.”

“While this decision is incredibly difficult, we believe this will give Betnijah the best opportunity to pursue a larger basketball role. We wish her nothing but success moving forward, and she’ll always be a member of the Liberty family. As a key contributor to the first championship in franchise history, Betnijah’s legacy with the Liberty is forever cemented,” Kolb added, per the official Liberty press release.

Laney-Hamilton was part of their championship-winning team in 2024, having signed with them as a free agent in 2021. The possibility of a trade was always on the cards for the 32-year-old, and speculation was rife after she did not feature in any game after July 12, when she was ejected for her second technical foul of the game, apparently for throwing a shoe at Marina Mabrey.

However, the trade deadline passed, and just when it looked like the Liberty would keep her for the rest of the season, she has been waived.

While a knee injury kept her sidelined for all of last season, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton saw a dip in her minutes and stats this season, averaging 4.7 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists over 17 games with five starts.

The cleared spot allowed the Liberty to sign developmental guard Marine Fauthoux to a multi-year contract. While Laney-Hamilton may not have boasted the stats to justify her $400,000 protected veteran contract this season, it’s important not to forget that she was vital in New York’s championship run.

Laney-Hamilton Was Instrumental in Liberty’s Championship Run

Betnijah Laney-Hamilton arrived at Liberty during their rebuilding phase in 2021. She established herself as a key player in the Liberty setup under coach Sandy Brondello. The guard earned an All-Star selection in her first year with the Liberty.

She then started all of Liberty’s 40 games en route to the WNBA Finals in the 2023 season, averaging 12.8 points per game. After that season, a right knee issue kept her sidelined for 12 games at the start of the 2024 season. However, she made a strong comeback, playing 28 games and averaging 11.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists during all of the regular season.

Perhaps the most memorable and important of her performances in a Liberty shirt came in Game 2 of the 2024 Finals, where she scored 20 points while converting eight of her 14 shots from the field. The Liberty won the game to level the series and went on to win the championship.

However, after Sandy Brondello was fired, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton struggled to get minutes under new coach Chris DeMarco. Injuries also played a part, as she fell in the pecking order in the Liberty setup.

Now that she has been waived, she becomes an unrestricted free agent and is free to sign with any team.

While it’s too early to predict Betnijah Laney-Hamilton’s next team, possible suitors include all the teams that could use a veteran like her with championship-winning pedigree and the experience to guide the young players as well.