New York Liberty forward Betnijah Laney has been smiling a whole lot lately.
She has good reason to be. The recently-extended starter for the Finals-bound Liberty squad has not only been a central reason for why New York has made the push to this final round in the WNBA Playoffs, but is on the way to breaking a few franchise records in the process.
Laney, who was all smiles skipping backwards on defense after hitting a huge three point shot in the fourth quarter of Game two against the Connecticut Sun, told reporters after Game four and clinching a Finals trip, just how elated she was to see her years of hard work with the Liberty finally come to fruition.
“I’m so happy right now! I gotta keep it to where I can just enjoy this moment, but then the work starts. We’re not content, you know, we’re not satisfied with everything. But I am happy. Seeing where we started, being knocked out in the first round every time and to now be here with everyone…we’re in the Finals,” said Laney to reporter Geoff Magliocchetti in the postgame press conference after the win.
Laney entered the season anticipating the need to fill a new role – with the arrival of talents like Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Courtney Vandersloot, Laney still carved an important role for the Liberty as a defensive stalwart on the wing and with her ability to score at will. Her finishing, as well as her stellar three point shooting this season have been paramount to New York’s identity both in this regular season and so far this postseason – a team hellbent on playing physical basketball, and one that will make you pay for overinvesting yourself in their star-studded frontcourt.
A look at Laney’s numbers this postseason shed light on her impact. In addition to already cracking the top-10 in postseason categories for the Liberty including tied for eighth in most points in a playoff game and tied for second in most three-pointers made via Across the Timeline, she has been a litmus test for the team as a whole as it seems like whenever she performs well on offense, the team tends to win.
According to ESPN’s Alexa Phillipou, whenever Laney has scored 14 or more points in a postseason game this year the team has gone on to win their battle with either the Mystics or the Sun. Their one loss, to the Sun in Game 1, was after a three point performance for Laney.
During this postseason run, Laney has averaged 17 points per game (PPG) along with 5.2 rebounds per game (RPG) and three assists. Her efficiency has stood out most when watching her dribble around screens set for her in the high post, shooting 37.6 percent from the field overall but having shot 44 percent or higher from the floor outside of her one poor performance against the Sun.
On the defensive end, her rebounding has been killing teams seeking momentum off of missed shots as she works the post with ease alongside bigs like Jones and Stewart. She is all over the place for New York in the most controlled sense of the phrase.
Against the Las Vegas Aces, who the Liberty face off with on the road on Sunday in Game one of the Finals, Laney has averaged 12.5 PPG, shot above 50 percent from three for three out of the four regular season games played against the Aces, and still managed to average 5.25 RPG despite the size of the Aces frontcourt.
She now faces the tall task of both being defended potentially by another stalwart in Chelsea Gray around the perimeter as well as being a key defender against hot shooters like Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young, while also having to hover around the rim for any rebounding opportunities taken away from Jones or Stewart.
Laney is the type of playoff riser that opponents tend to ignore, especially on such a stacked team like the Liberty where focus could be lent elsewhere. But it would be a huge mistake for any team, the Aces included, to underestimate her impact not only with her play, but with the energy that she brings. Laney has already welcomed herself to the city of New York. The time is approaching for her to now endear herself to an entire country on a national stage.
Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello said after the team’s Game four victory in reference to Laney, “Nothing surprises me. B’s built like this…I’ve loved her growth and her commitment to this team, to continue to get better individually with the work she puts in, day in and day out. Super proud of her…good to see her better than ever. Her potential, she’s gonna keep getting better.”
Stats as of October 5, 2023 and, unless otherwise noted, courtesy of WNBA.com.
