Betnijah
Laney

CAREER TRANSACTIONS: Selected 17th overall by the Chicago Sky in the 2015 WNBA Draft …Signed as a free agent with Connecticut on February 7, 2018…Signed as a free agent with Indiana on February 5, 2019…Signed by the Atlanta Dream as a free agent on June 24, 2020…Signed as a free agent with the New York Liberty on February 2, 2021.

2022: Made 9 regular season appearances, starting 6 games, in an injury-shortened 2022 where she underwent a mid-season right knee surgery on June 1…Returned to the Liberty lineup on August 6…Averaged 11.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game…Shot 42.2% from the field and 37.9% from distance…Finished five games of nine games in double figure scoring.

2021: In her first campaign with New York, Laney saw action in all 32 games and was the only Liberty player to start every contest in 2021… Named a 2021 WNBA All-Star for the first time in her career… Named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week on June 1, 2021… Betnijah averaged a team-high 16.8 points, 5.2 assists, and 4.1 rebounds over a career-high 33.7 minutes per game… Her 16.8 points per game ranked 10^th in the WNBA, while her 5.3 assists per game ranked 8^th and marked a new career-high… Became just the fourth player in WNBA history to finish with 16.7+ points, 5.0+ assists, and 4.0+ rebounds per game; joining a distinguished list that includes Cappie Pondexter (2009), Diana Taurasi (2013), and Candace Parker (2015)… Also became the first-ever Liberty player to post eight consecutive 20+ point games to open the season… Eclipsed double figure scoring in 27 of 32 games… Recorded a season-high 30 points against Indiana in her Liberty debut on May 14.

2020: Named the 2020 WNBA Most Improved Player and to the WNBA All-Defensive First Team with Atlanta after finishing her fourth season in the league averaging 17.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game…Started in all 22 games…Set career high records with 19 points, 6 made field goals and 14 attempted field goals against Dallas (7/24)…Topped her career high record with 30 points against New York (7/31), going 11-18 from the field on a career night that included highs in free throws made and attempted, offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds, total rebounds and steals…Recorded her 5th double-figure game of the season and 4th straight with 20 points against Seattle (8/6), sinking a career-high 4 three pointers on 7 shots…Put up a career-high 35 points against Washington (8/19), sinking 14 shots from the field and adding on 6 assists and 2 steals…Dished out a career-best 11 assists against Los Angeles (8/21) and scored 15 points for her first double-double…Scored in double figures in 19 games and saw seven outings with 20+ points.

2019: Appeared in all 34 games with the Fever and started in 27, averaging 5.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game – all career-high records…Put up career-best numbers against Dallas on June 13, pulling down 11 rebounds (6 offensive) with three attempted three-pointers.

2018: Laney appeared in 29 games with the Sun, averaging 2.7 points and 1.7 rebounds…Her 33-of-70 (.471) field goal shooting was the best of her career…She scored a season-high 11 points at Seattle, 7/1, and added a season-best six rebounds in the same game. Also in the same game, she scored the first 3-point field goal of her career.

2017: Waived by the Chicago Sky.

2016: Laney played just eight games with the Sky in her second pro season, suffering a torn left ACL injury against Washington, 6/3…She scored eight points during 21 minutes of action in the season opener against Connecticut.

2015: Laney’s rookie campaign with Chicago produced 2.9 points and 2.1 rebounds per game…Her scoring high was 12 points in a home win over Indiana, 8/4…She played in 32 games with a pair of starts, collecting 19 total assists, 16 steals and six blocked shots…Recorded a season-high eight rebounds against Connecticut, 6/11…Drafted by the Sky with the 17th overall pick of the 2015 WNBA Draft.

PLAYOFFS

2022: Averaged 11.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists in the Liberty’s First Round, three-game series against the Chicago Sky…Guided New York to their first postseason victory since 2015 in Game One, totaling 17 points, five boards and five assists on 46.1% (6-13) from the field.

2021: In her first postseason appearance with New York, Laney posted a game-high 25 points, four rebounds and three assists against Phoenix on September 23. Betnijah finished on 45.5% (10-22) from the floor, 42.9% (3-7) beyond the arc, and knocked down a game-tying three with with 2.7 seconds remaining in regulation.

2015: Appeared in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against Indiana on September 19.

OVERSEAS

2020-21: Played for Elitzur Ramla in Israel.

2019-20: Played for Elitzur Maclaren Holon in Israel, where she averaged 19.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, 7.1 assists and 2.8 steals per game through 19 outings.

2018-19: Laney played for the Dandenong Rangers in the WNBL where she was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year.

2017-18: With the Bendigo Spirit in Australia, Laney averaged 14.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game in 19 outings…she shot 48.8 percent from the floor.

2015-16: In 27 games with the Perth Lynx in Australia, she averaged 15.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.

INTERNATIONAL: Laney played with USA Basketball’s U17 and U16 World Championships in 2010 and 2009, respectively…both teams earned goal medals, finishing a combined 13-0 over two seasons…she participated in the 2011 USA Women’s U19 World Championship Team Trials…she also was invited to USA team trials for the World University Games in May 2013.

COLLEGE: Laney excelled at Rutgers during a four-year career which saw her start in 107 of 129 games…she averaged 10.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game for her career…averaging 15.8 points and 10.7 rebounds per game as a senior, she paced the Scarlet Knights to the second round of the NCAA Tournament…she ranked 10th nationally in double-doubles with 20, and totaled double-figure scoring in all but two games as a senior…she was an honorable mention AP All-American as a senior and was named first team All-Big Ten and All-Met…she was a three-time Big Ten Player of the Week.

PERSONAL: Born October 29, 1993 in Clayton, Delaware…Daughter of Yolanda Laney…Yolanda was an All-America guard at Cheney State leading the Wolves to a pair of Final Fours, including a national championship appearance in 1982…Betnijah has a brother, Shakaris…Starred at Smyna High School where she earned McDonald’s, Parade and WBCA prep All-America honors in 2011…Consensus player of the year in the state of Delaware as a senior and a three-time First Team All-State selection…Two-time Gatorade Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year for Delaware.