Betnijah Laney-Hamilton will suit up in new threads on Tuesday night for the Washington Mystics when they take on the Las Vegas Aces. She was claimed off waivers after the Liberty released her last week. The once-star on the Liberty took a back seat in the last couple of months.
Under Liberty's first-year head coach, Chris DeMarco's system, Laney-Hamilton saw limited playing time, averaging 4.7 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals. Now, she has an opportunity on a remarkable Mystics team.
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton will be available to play tonight against the Las Vegas Aces
Laney-Hamilton has already joined the team and has traveled with them, but she didn't play the first game against the Mercury as she had just arrived on the team. She isn't listed on the injury report today, meaning fans will be able to get a first look at her in her new threads.
Immediately, Laney-Hamilton brings much-needed veteran leadership to Washington. The team is the youngest in the league, with an average age of about 23 years old before she joined the team. She's 32 years old. The next oldest is Michaela Onyenwere, who is 27 years old and the next is Shakira Austin, who is 26. The veteran already seems to be acclimating to her new team well, showing her leadership.
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton hyping up her new Mystics squad pregamepic.twitter.com/8cLvRvCXr9
— Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) August 9, 2026
Coach Sydney Johnson talked about the addition pre-game on Monday.
“It was somewhat a no-brainer for us to bring in some depth, some experience, a phenomenal person,” Johnson said. “She’s extended her game and is efficient and prolific from the three and then defensively she’s versatile.“
Johnson is right. She's a great shooter, but her defensive versatility will be key on this roster. Right now, the Mystics are playing like one of the best defenses in the league and adding the former WNBA champion makes them scarier.
While she's a versatile player, don't expect her to get a start today. Coach Johnson talked about wanting her to get used to their plays and her teammates, but he did say he expected her to get minutes on Tuesday. Laney-Hamilton will come off the bench and only strengthen the team's depth.
Washington is third in the league in average points from the bench per game. Lauren Betts and Cotie McMahon have been instrumental in those numbers, but adding another guard to the mix elevates Washington's game. Their point guard, Georgia Amoore, hasn't been playing well, but her fellow guards have been picking up her slack. In the last two games, she's scored zero points.
Having Laney-Hamilton coming off the bench, she can make the quick shots around the perimeter or 3-pointers that Washington will need. While the team is a defensive threat, they average the second-fewest amount of points per game. They struggle especially around the perimeter, which Laney-Hamilton has excelled at.
The little gaps that Washington had, might have just closed, making them an even bigger threat to teams. Watch Laney-Hamilton's debut Tuesday night against the Las Vegas Aces.
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