The first thing Betnijah Laney-Hamilton did when she woke up the morning of the Liberty’s season opener Friday was pray. “Thank the Lord,” she said. “It’s another day, another opportunity for me to get out there.” Laney-Hamilton had been wishing for this moment for quite some time. She hadn’t played meaningful WNBA basketball since the Liberty hoisted the championship trophy in October 2024 after knee surgery sidelined her for all of last season. Laney-Hamilton felt the love from fans as they showered her with cheers when her name was called in the starting lineup ahead of the Liberty’s 106-75 win against the Connecticut Sun. She then got to work. One of Laney-Hamilton’s highlights was crossing up Gianna Kneepkens before pulling up for a basket. She finished with 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting with two rebounds and four assists. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton of the New York Liberty crosses up over Gianna Kneepkens of the Connecticut Sun on May 8, 2026.…