Latest news with #BetnijahLaney-Hamilton
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
WNBA preseason power rankings: Where 2025 champion Liberty, Caitlin Clark's Fever begin the regular season
The 29th WNBA season tips off on Friday with all 13 teams (welcome, Golden State) taking the floor on opening weekend. At least until the fall, it's New York, New York, as the Liberty enter the season as WNBA champions for the first time in league history. Hence, why the seafoam are atop the first power rankings of the season. With as much talent as there is in the league, it's unlikely the Liberty stay there throughout the season. The top four teams, at least on paper, are quality title contenders and the next bunch can steal enough games to move up in a season that expanded to a record 44 regular-season games. The bottom crew, at least as of this week, are in for a long year en route to a hopeful lottery victory. Though, even being in the lottery at all should net those teams players worthy of building a franchise around for seasons to come. Advertisement While preseason games give a glimpse of how new styles and lineups will shake out, it's not the same as actually playing real games that matter. Here's how the teams rank on paper heading into the first weekend. 1. New York Liberty The reigning WNBA champions earn the right to stay atop power rankings until they give us a reason to doubt their supremacy. The most concerning change for the Liberty is the loss of Betnijah Laney-Hamilton to injury, as she's a top-three scorer who heads their top-three defense and contributes in all the little ways. Natasha Cloud will step in as a key perimeter defender, and the return of French magician Marine Johannès gives the team an added boost offensively. Look for Nyara Sabally to play a larger role off the bench. The New York Liberty beat the Lynx in the 2024 WNBA Finals in an epic series, and the two teams are poised to run it back this season. (Photo) (Elsa via Getty Images) 2. Minnesota Lynx The heartbreak of the Lynx's Game 5 WNBA Finals loss is what champions are made of, and Minnesota is built to triumph. All five starters return, led by Napheesa Collier, who's fresh off winning Unrivaled MVP honors and the league's 1-on-1 tournament. She finished second in WNBA MVP voting a season ago, though arguably could have won in any other season that didn't have A'ja Wilson breaking scoring records. There's not a lot to dislike about the Lynx after proving most rankings wrong a year ago. 3. Las Vegas Aces As with the Lynx, the Aces are entering the season hungry after missing out on a three-peat. Head coach Becky Hammon said this week she's done with dogs, she wants wolves — and she has them. Chelsea Gray starting the season healthy is a massive plus. And after misvaluing the game and possessions a season ago, returning players said they're back to focusing on the little things that lead to a championship. The one concern is depth in the frontcourt. Cheyenne Parker-Tyus is out while pregnant and Megan Gustafson is out indefinitely with a lower leg injury. 4. Indiana Fever The 'Showtime' Fever are, on paper, one of the best collections of talent in the WNBA. But that doesn't always translate to wins, nor to championships. The Fever will likely lead the league offensively with the weapons new coach Stephanie White holds at her disposal, but it's the defensive side (the Fever ranked 11th in defensive rating) that needs to prove itself. That's tough to see in preseason action. White led the Sun to the top of the defensive mountaintop, and the majority of the Fever roster spoke at length about the importance of it on media day. 5. Phoenix Mercury The Mercury added an Engine (Alyssa Thomas) and a unicorn (Satou Sabally) to their KFC (Kahleah Copper), which should translate on both sides of the ball. They ranked seventh offensively (99.6 rating) and ninth defensively (102.9) a season ago. Second-year head coach Nate Tibbetts is leaning into positionless basketball, placing Thomas, a forward, at point guard in the first days of camp. The roster, as has been the case in the desert, is top-heavy, and they'll need standout seasons from lesser-known stars to break .500. 6. Seattle Storm Seattle underperformed a season ago after their free-agent haul. Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins return, and will lead a roster excited by the entrance of No. 2 overall draft pick Dominique Malonga. Malonga is a versatile 6-foot-6 French center who's been compared to Victor Wembanyama. Noelle Quinn can also put size on the floor in 6-7 Chinese center Li Yueru. If Seattle can improve on its perimeter shooting from a year ago, it could compete for one of those top four playoff spots. 7. Los Angeles Sparks The potential for the Sparks is high after trading for two-time champion guard Kelsey Plum, who will handle more playmaking duties than she did in Las Vegas. Rickea Jackson can take a step forward in year 2, Cameron Brink is on pace to return this year from an ACL injury, and Dearica Hamby — Plum's former Aces teammate — is coming off her best season in the W. 8. Chicago Sky The Sky are set up to ascend in the next few years. Their best offseason move beyond hiring head coach Tyler Marsh was bringing home Courtney Vandersloot. Not only will she keep the offense humming, she's a strong leader for a group of young players who lacked one as rookies. There were already signs of it in the preseason games, and Angel Reese is taking steps to better her game while working with Lisa Leslie at Unrivaled during the offseason. 9. Atlanta Dream The Dream are one of the most intriguing teams after first-year head coach Karl Smesko signed not one, but two All-Star centers to play his 3-point focused offense. Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones can create space for the team's standout guards, and step out to hit 3s themselves. It remains to be seen if that pans out in year 1 the way he hopes. 10. Dallas Wings The expectations are high around No. 1 overall pick Paige Bueckers, who can lift this program into a golden era. Already, her court vision is translating to the WNBA level, and her efficiency should remain stable. But with so much 'new' in Dallas, it's quite the climb up the hillside from the valley. How she pairs with Arike Ogunbowale, a high-volume shooter who has been the linchpin of the Wings, will be the focus of their season. 11. Golden State Valkyries There weren't many answers in the Valkyries' first offseason. The front office couldn't add big names in free agency, selected a draft-and-stash international star in the draft's first round and waived their second-round pick before even playing a preseason contest. It feels dreary in the Bay, though excitement around the league's first expansion team since 2008 remained high in their home preseason contest. Advertisement 12. Connecticut Sun It's also not sunny in Connecticut, where the Sun return only two players from its third-place roster. And one of those returners, Marina Mabrey, asked for a trade in the offseason. Throw in a head coach new to the WNBA, and there is a laundry list of questions about how not only this season looks for the league's smallest market, but also the seasons beyond — it was reported Monday that the team owners are exploring a sale. 13. Washington Mystics The Mystics cannot catch a break. They drafted Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen and Georgia Amoore within the first six picks of the 2025 draft, adding more foundational pieces to their young roster. Then Amoore injured her ACL days into camp and second-year forward Aaliyah Edwards (lower back contusion) was sidelined the next day. She did not play in the preseason, and neither did Shakira Austin, the team's 2022 lottery pick who's been besieged by injuries since her rookie season. She played 31 games over the past two years.
USA Today
15-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
2025 WNBA predictions: Champ, MVP, Coach of the Year and more
2025 WNBA predictions: Champ, MVP, Coach of the Year and more The 2025 WNBA season is finally here, kicking off Friday with three games, including the official league debut with the newest expansion team, the Golden State Valkyries, taking on the Los Angeles Sparks. That's exciting on its own, but we're here to look at the big picture ahead of the WNBA season, not the little details. Ahead of the season, For The Win is here to help you prep for it with WNBA power rankings, veterans who could be traded and rookies who could make an immediate impact. But we've also got some season-long predictions because while we can't actually predict the future, that's never stopped us from trying. So before the 2025 WNBA season officially begins, here are our predictions for some of the league's major awards — though this is not an exhaustive list. WNBA predictions: 2025 WNBA champion Meghan L. Hall: Las Vegas Aces. The Liberty will make it to the WNBA Finals but won't repeat. (To be clear, I think people are severely underestimating the loss of Betnijah Laney-Hamilton for the season.) I like the Aces to get back to the WNBA Finals and win their third championship (and second against the Liberty) since 2022. I believe A'ja Wilson will make it her mission to not only get back to the finals, but pull the best out of Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray and Jewell Loyd to win another ring. Michael Sykes: Las Vegas Aces. I think the addition of Jewell Loyd gives the Aces a bit of a scoring pop on the perimeter. A'ja Wilson will still be the best player in the game. The big question will be how the team functions defensively. I think it'll be good enough to see this team win its third title in four seasons. Cory Woodroof: Indiana Fever. It's Caitlin Clark's world, and we're all just living in it. Expect the Fever to build on their impressive 2024 rejuvination and look even sharper with Stephanie White in as coach. The elite talent and impressive depth on this team will not be denied much longer. Michelle R. Martinelli: Las Vegas Aces. Three out of four would be amazing and would thoroughly solidify the Aces' dynasty — plus, I have a feeling A'Ja and co. are still bitter about not even making it to the finals last year. Blake Schuster: New York Liberty. My colleagues are sleeping on the champs! Sabrina Ionescu! Breanna Stewart Jonquel Jones! C'mon y'all, this is easy. We are in dynasty territory. Robert Zeglinski: Minnesota Lynx. Give me the outside-the-box team (at least compared to my colleagues' answers). The Lynx were *thisclose* to winning last year's WNBA title, only to fall in a devastatingly close series at the hands of the Liberty. Maybe they don't have the horses to make another run at it, but I do think there is a redemption-from-the-pain narrative that I can't ignore. Prince J. Grimes: New York Liberty. I just think the Liberty remain the deepest team of the league's juggernauts. Even with Betnijah Laney-Hamilton out for the year, they're getting Marine Johannès back. I think this team has at least one more elite run left in it. Bryan Kalbrosky: New York Liberty: The strongest team in the league only got stronger, and I love the addition of Natasha Cloud and a healthy Marine Johannès. After failing to win a title until last season, they're going back-to-back in 2025. WNBA predictions: 2025 WNBA Finals MVP Meghan L. Hall: Chelsea Gray. I think people forgot Chelsea Gray won finals MVP in 2022. I fully expect her to be in peak form like she was at Unrivaled and carry that into the season. Gray has the receipts on everyone who had something to say about her last year, and she won't forget when the Finals arrive. Michael Sykes: A'ja Wilson. She's the best player in the world. If the Aces are going to be awesome, I think she'll need to be awesome in the team's biggest moments. Cory Woodroof: Caitlin Clark. If I'm picking the Fever to win the title, the team's undisputed engine earns the finals MVP. Michelle R. Martinelli: A'Ja Wilson's on top, top, top. Can't take her spot, spot, spot. Blake Schuster: Jonquel Jones. BACCCCKKKK TO BACK. Robert Zeglinski: Napheesa Collier. If the Lynx win the title, Phee is the only logical pick for finals MVP. Prince J. Grimes: Sabrina Ionescu. She was pretty bad in last year's finals. I could see a big bounce back this time around. Bryan Kalbrosky: Sabrina Ionescu. If the Liberty do win a title, they'll likely get an even better performance from Sabrina Ionescu this time around. Even though it was Jonquel Jones who got the honors last year, my money is on Ionescu when this season is all said and done. WNBA predictions: 2025 WNBA regular-season MVP Meghan L. Hall: Napheesa Collier. Welcome to the 2025 season, a.k.a the Napheesa Collier revenge tour. Collier was second in MVP voting last season, and without her at MVP-levels, the Minnesota Lynx don't move. She's going to come back for not just MVP, but she might add DPOY to list, too. Michael Sykes: Napheesa Collier. Phee was runner-up in the league's MVP voting last season. I think she takes another step forward this year with Minnesota. I also think she'll get the Lynx back to the Finals though, obviously, they're not my pick to win it all. Cory Woodroof: Caitlin Clark. It's bound to happen at some point, right? Sure, guards don't often win MVP in the WNBA, but Clark is generational. She's surrounded by talent to take the weight off her plate this go-around, which should make her even more impressive on the court than in her rookie season. Michelle R. Martinelli: A'Ja Wilson. Likely options aren't abundant, but your guess is as good as mine here. But if I'm predicting Wilson will dominate in the playoffs, she'll probably do the same in the regular season. She is, arguably, the best active player in the world right now, and it seems unwise to bet against her. Blake Schuster: Caitlin Clark. I know, I know, but listen: Do y'all remember how much better she got over the course of last season? This isn't rookie CC coming straight off a Final Four run into the W two weeks later. This is Clark fully rested and with added muscle. She can (and should) start hitting back. Robert Zeglinski: Caitlin Clark. The woman was All-WNBA First Team in her first season. And that was on a very short turnaround from the women's college basketball season! Now she's rested, better and a little battle-tested, and so is her improved Fever supporting cast. Projecting a leap to regular-season MVP is not at all outlandish. Prince J. Grimes: Napheesa Collier. She carries a big offensive load for the Lynx and remains one of the W's best defensive players. That two-way prowess will land her the MVP. Bryan Kalbrosky: A'Ja Wilson. I'm surprised more people have not mentioned her name as their pick in this roundtable. She is the best player in the league, and even though Caitlin Clark is the favorite, I'm still going with Wilson until I'm proven wrong. WNBA predictions: 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year Meghan L. Hall: Paige Bueckers. I think it's a no-brainer that Paige Bueckers will be Rookie of the Year. Bueckers' high IQ on both sides of the ball and her production will be a notch abover her draft class. Bueckers also will add WNBA All-Star and All-Rookie Team honors to her résumé. Book it. Michael Sykes: Paige Bueckers. Not only do I think Paige is Rookie of the Year, but I also think she'll be an All-Star this season and a solid pick to make one of the All-WNBA teams. Cory Woodroof: Paige Bueckers. Not going to overthink this one. Bueckers will help bring Dallas back to the playoffs in her first season and will be plenty deserving of this honor. Michelle R. Martinelli: Paige Bueckers. She's been waiting for this moment for a long time, and no doubt she'll rise to the occasion and stun as a rookie. Blake Schuster: Kiki Iriafen. I LOVE pairing her in the Mystics frontcourt with Aaliyah Edwards and think that should open up plenty of opportunities for Kiki in the paint. An easy shot and a knack for rebounding. Sounds like a ROY to me! Robert Zeglinski: Paige Bueckers. It couldn't possibly be anyone else. Bueckers might experience some early jitters, but she should be lighting the WNBA on fire by midseason, if not earlier. A truly special talent. Prince J. Grimes: Paige Bueckers. Another generational talent entering the league. It's Paige. Bryan Kalbrosky: Paige Bueckers. There isn't much to say on this one. She's going to immediately reverse the trajectory of the Wings. I'm so excited to watch her play. WNBA predictions: 2025 WNBA Coach of the Year Meghan L. Hall: Karl Smesko. Pencil in Karl Smesko as a dark-horse candidate for Coach of the Year. The Dream turned heads ahead of the season by prying Smesko away from the college ranks. Then, in free agency, they landed splash shinings like Brittney Griner. If Smesko can pull out shades of prime B.G. while revamping Atlanta's offense (and its 3-point shooting), he could run away with COTY. If Atlanta also earns a top-4 seed, get that man whatever he wants. Michael Sykes: Karl Smesko. He will probably be a popular pick for Coach of the Year. Atlanta wasn't very good last season, so the bar here isn't particularly high. Plus, the team has added a ton of talent that should lead to a significant win total differential. At the same time, I also believe the offensive system he's implementing is one that will raise the level of the talent on this team in a drastic way. Cory Woodroof: Stephanie White. The former Connecticut Sun coach has established herself as one of the game's elite minds, and she may well have her best team yet at the WNBA level. I'm expecting big things from Indiana, and I expect White to be rewarded for that surge. Michelle R. Martinelli: Stephanie White. Starting with a new team is always challenging, but the Fever aren't really that new to her. They'll be looking to build on their first playoff appearance since 2016, and with Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell (fractured finger and all), White can lead this team to the next level. Blake Schuster: Tyler Marsh. I'm fascinated by the Chicago Sky's hiring of the Las Vegas Aces assistant. Let's see what lessons he learned from A'Ja Wilson he can teach Angel Reese, before we go all in here but for now, he's my pick. Robert Zeglinski: Tyler Marsh. As Blake notes, Marsh has a lot of quality experience with the league's marquee team over the last half-decade. Now he's at the helm of an ascending Sky team that just added Hailey Van Lith and will be rightfully expecting massive jumps from its promising young frontcourt featuring Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. The Sky are about to turn some heads, and Marsh will play a big part in that. Prince J. Grimes: Stephanie White. Indiana took a big leap in Caitlin Clark's rookie season, and I think they'll take another big leap in Year 2, in large part thanks to White and the team's other offseason additions. Bryan Kalbrosky: Sandy Brondello. I'm going to imagine this award will end up going to the coach of the best team in the WNBA, and I think that's the Liberty this season. WNBA predictions: 2025 WNBA Sixth Player of the Year Meghan L. Hall: Lexie Hull. She started 11 games for the Fever last season, including several the back half of the season and into the playoffs. While she's no longer in the starting lineup, she'll still be just as effective. Hull is a sneaky good defender and a clear threat from 3-point range. If she can duplicate (or get close to) her 47 percent shooting percentage from beyond the arc, the Sixth Player of the Year award is hers to lose. Michael Sykes: Aaliyah Edwards. This is a bit of a homer pick for me as a Mystics fan, but whatever. Edwards is really good. She displayed how versatile she can be as a scorer during her 1-on-1 tournament run in Unrivaled. The Mystics are prioritizing starting their veteran players this season, so she probably won't start over Shakira Austin or Stefanie Dolson. But she'll finish a lot of games this season. I thinks he's going to show out. Cory Woodroof: Sophie Cunningham. The biggest non-Caitlin Clark benefactor of White's arrival in Indiana will be Cunningham, who will thrive coming off the bench with the Fever. She's a perfect fit for this offense. Michelle R. Martinelli: Marine Johannès. Maybe this is a real long-shot pick if you go by the odds, but Johannes could shine now that she's back with the Liberty. But after missing out on last season's championship team, she'll be a huge asset off the bench and offer some valuable relief to the primary scorers. Blake Schuster: Kate Martin. She got stuck in a logjam in Las Vegas, but now with Golden State, she can take what she learned and star to show off. Robert Zeglinski: Kate Martin. She should get a much bigger role with the Valkyries after shining in mostly a spot role for the Aces last year. Expect fireworks. Prince J. Grimes: Shatori Walker-Kimbrough. She'll likely play a similar role for Atlanta as the one she had in Washington, where she finished third in voting as a microwave scorer last year. Only she'll be doing it for a team that should win a lot more this year. Bryan Kalbrosky: Sophie Cunningham. I'm expecting big things for the Fever this year, and after Cunningham spent the first several years of her career with Phoenix, this is an interesting opportunity for her to turn some heads with a new team in Indiana.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
WNBA Makes Announcement on Atlanta Dream, Seattle Storm
The Atlanta Dream are no stranger to playing in front of an international crowd. The Dream got a taste of playing outside the U.S. when they participated in the WNBA's first preseason game in Europe, playing overseas against the Great Britain Women's National Team in Manchester, England back in 2011. Advertisement Now back with an upgraded roster and hopes of competing for a title in the Eastern Conference, the Dream will play the league's first regular-season game outside the U.S. when they face the Seattle Storm at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, B.C. for the third WNBA Canada Game. Atlanta Dream forward Rhyne Howard drives past New York Liberty forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton during Game 2 of their first-round playoff series at Barclays Center on Sept. 24, Cruz-Imagn Images On Monday, the WNBA made an important announcement about the Canada game, set for August 15 this summer, which fans will be excited to hear about. Tickets for the third WNBA Canada Game that will feature the Dream and Storm will begin selling to the public later this month on May 28. Fans can start registering their interest in tickets to the game on the event website page. After an early exit in the 2024 playoffs, the Dream enter this season with high-expectations after acquiring 6-foot-9 star center Brittney Griner after spending 11 seasons with the Phoenix Mercury and All-Star center Brionna Jones, who's been with the Connecticut Sun since being drafted in 2017. Advertisement Pair that with a talent backcourt led by Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray and you have the making of a dangerous playoff team in the Eastern Conference. The WNBA Canada game will be an opportunity for the title-contending Dream to see how they stack up against one of the better teams in the league in the four-time champion Storm team who are looking to make a comeback this season. Related: Atlanta Dream 2025 WNBA Season Preview
Reuters
01-04-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Liberty F Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (knee) could miss season
April 1 - New York Liberty forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton will be sidelined for five to six months following knee surgery. The reigning WNBA champions confirmed Monday that the veteran underwent a procedure in March to repair an acute meniscus injury in her left knee. The Liberty's regular season runs from May 17 through Sept. 11, putting Laney-Hamilton in danger of missing the entire campaign. Laney-Hamilton, 31, sustained the injury while competing in the new Unrivaled 3-on-3 league. She averaged 11.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 28 games (25 starts) for New York during the 2024 regular season. She scored 20 points in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals, an 80-66 win that evened the series as the Liberty went on to defeat the Minnesota Lynx in five games for the franchise's first title. Laney-Hamilton has career averages of 9.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 234 games (155 starts) with the Chicago Sky (2015-16), Connecticut Sun (2018), Indiana Fever (2019), Atlanta Dream (2020) and Liberty. She was the league's Most Improved Player in 2020 and made the All-Star team in her first season with New York in 2021. She made the All-Defensive first team in 2020 and the second team in 2023. --Field Level Media
NBC Sports
01-04-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Liberty's Laney-Hamilton undergoes meniscus surgery and is expected to be out 5-6 months
New York guard Betnijah Laney-Hamilton had surgery on her left knee to repair an acute meniscus injury earlier this month, the Liberty announced Monday. Laney-Hamilton is expected to be sidelined for five to six months. She played two games at Unrivaled, the new 3-on-3 league, before suffering the injury. She had a minor procedure on her right knee last July and was out for roughly six weeks before returning to help the Liberty win the first WNBA championship in franchise history. The surgery was performed at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. New York recently re-signed guard Marine Johannes, who missed last season to prepare for the Paris Olympics with the French national team. The Liberty also traded for Natasha Cloud in the offseason. Even with Laney-Hamilton recovering, the Liberty have a solid lineup with Cloud, Sabrina Ionescu, Leonie Fiebich, Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones. Laney-Hamilton averaged 11.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists while playing in 28 games last season. She was drafted in 2015 by Chicago before also playing in Connecticut, Atlanta and Indiana before coming to New York in 2021.
