New York Liberty player Betnijah Laney-Hamilton was ejected from a WNBA game after throwing a shoe that hit Toronto Tempo player Marina Mabrey [1, 3].
The incident marks a rare and bizarre disciplinary action in a professional league, highlighting the strict enforcement of unsportsmanlike conduct rules during high-stakes matchups.
The event took place during a game in Montreal between the New York Liberty and the Toronto Tempo [3]. According to reports, the situation began when a shoe fell off, and Laney-Hamilton attempted to retrieve it for teammate Jonquel Jones [3, 5]. During this process, Laney-Hamilton threw the footwear, which struck Mabrey [1, 3].
Officials reacted to the incident by ejecting Laney-Hamilton from the contest [1, 2]. The league's decision to remove the player followed the determination that the act constituted unsportsmanlike conduct [3, 5]. The ejection left fans and observers in disbelief as the game reached its conclusion [4].
While the act was described as an attempt to help a teammate, the resulting impact on an opposing player triggered the mandatory penalty [3, 5]. The New York Liberty had to navigate the remainder of the game without one of their primary stars due to the ruling.
“Betnijah Laney-Hamilton was ejected from a WNBA game after throwing a shoe that hit Toronto Tempo player Marina Mabrey.”
This ejection underscores the WNBA's zero-tolerance approach to physical altercations or unpredictable conduct on the court, regardless of intent. Because the shoe struck an opposing player, officials had little discretion but to apply the rules for unsportsmanlike conduct to maintain game control and player safety.
