A tone setter. Every successful team needs one.
Former Rutgers University star Betnija Rainey is truly a star for the New York Liberty. Don’t let her smile fool you; when she steps between the lines, this versatile winger is ready to do whatever it takes to win.
She also played a key role in New York ending the franchise’s postseason winning streak, with the Ribs reaching the WNBA Finals for the first time in more than 20 years and facing the Las Vegas Aces for the championship.
On both ends of the court, the No. 44 has been invaluable. On a team loaded with superstars that includes two former MVPs, the Delaware native has been a vital piece for the Liberty. Rainey scored 20 or more points in each of the final three games of the WNBA semifinals against the Connecticut Sun.
Betnijah Laney and the Liberty starred on the cover of SLAM 246. Read the cover story here.
With her team in a tough spot on her home court in Game 2, the former second-round pick stepped up. In a must-win game, Rainey made five 3-pointers, the most of her career, including two in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter.
Through the first two rounds of the playoffs, Laney ranks in New York’s top two in field goal percentage, 3-point percentage and total points. Only three players have contributed more points in the paint in the postseason than the 2020 WNBA Most Valuable Player.
She was one of just seven players in the entire W this season to attempt at least 1.5 3-pointers per game and shoot better than 39 percent from 3-point range. Cornerback is her specialty. If you can’t shut her down, the outcome is almost inevitable.
“B is made like this” Brondello says: After the finals at Connecticut, she said, “It took us a little while at the beginning of the season, figuring out how to fit things together, but I think we made a big leap when we realized we needed to integrate ‘B’ more into our offense, because she’s a great scorer. We didn’t want ‘B’ to just be a defensive player.”
Defensively, that’s what she’s best known for, and in a series against a historically good Aces offense, Rainey’s ability to guard multiple positions will be key.
The 2023 Commissioner’s Cup Final against Las Vegas provided a perfect example of what she can do on that side of the court. The 6-foot wing was primarily tasked with guarding Kelsey Plum and Chelsea Gray. In the third quarter, No. 44 was tasked with isolating Plum in half-court defense and then covering Gray full-court after a Stewart 3-pointer.
“Whether it’s guarding the other team’s best player or making plays, she’s someone who knows what she’s good at.” Stewart said “Having her on our side is huge for us,” he said of Rainey after the win over Washington. “She continues to make plays and gives us clarity in tough times.”
Action photo by Getty Images. Portrait by Marcus Stevens.
