Betnijah Laney-Hamilton will miss the 2025 WNBA season due to injury
New York Liberty star Betnijah Laney-Hamilton will not participate in the 2025 WNBA season due to a knee injury sustained during the preseason, the team announced Wednesday.
Laney-Hamilton suffered an acute meniscus injury in her left knee while playing in Unrivaled, the new 3-on-3 league co-founded by her Liberty teammate Breanna Stewart and Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier.
The player underwent surgery in March, with a recovery timeframe announced of five to six months.
Known for her perimeter defense, toughness, and ability to score crucial shots, the 6-foot tall forward-guard is a two-time defensive team selection, All-Star in 2021, and the WNBA’s Most Improved Player in 2020.
“It breaks our hearts that Betnijah won’t be able to be on the court this season,” Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb said in a statement.
Jonathan Kolb
Kolb revealed earlier this month that it was “more likely than not” that New York would suspend his contract, which is a procedural term. Doing so removes his salary from New York’s spreadsheet, opens a spot on the roster, and helps the Liberty carry a maximum of 12 league players on opening day.
This also allows New York to maintain its exclusive negotiating rights heading into 2026, when most of the league is scheduled to enter free agency.
Laney-Hamilton has dealt with knee injuries throughout her career, missing 12 games last season due to issues with her right knee, although she still averaged 11.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists when she was on the court. She played all 40 games in 2023 for the Liberty, but the previous year she was limited to only nine games after suffering a right knee injury.
“We fully trust that she will return completely,” Kolb said earlier this month. “She will have a great opportunity to be as healthy as she has been in some years.”
The team indicated that Laney-Hamilton will be present on Saturday when the Liberty celebrate their first WNBA title with a ring ceremony and the raising of a championship banner.
