New York Liberty guard Betnijah Laney-Hamilton was ejected from a game against the Toronto Tempo after throwing a shoe that struck opponent Marina Mabrey [1].
The incident occurred during the closing minutes of a highly competitive contest, highlighting the volatile emotional state of players in high-stakes WNBA matchups. Such outbursts often lead to league disciplinary reviews and impact team chemistry during the season.
The confrontation took place with 1:48 remaining in the fourth quarter [2]. According to reports, Laney-Hamilton threw the footwear, which hit Mabrey in the back [2]. Other accounts described the item as a loose trainer that became the center of the dispute [3].
Officials immediately ejected Laney-Hamilton from the game following the incident [1]. The New York Liberty were unable to recover from the loss of their guard in the final moments of the game. The Liberty ultimately lost to the Toronto Tempo with a final score of 93-91 [2].
Heated emotions during the close game led to the outburst [4]. The loss marks a difficult finish for New York in a game that remained undecided until the final buzzer. The league has not yet announced further penalties for Laney-Hamilton, though ejections typically trigger automatic reviews of player conduct.
“Betnijah Laney-Hamilton was ejected from a game against the Toronto Tempo after throwing a shoe that struck opponent Marina Mabrey.”
The ejection of a key starter like Laney-Hamilton in the final two minutes of a game directly correlates with the Liberty's narrow two-point defeat. This incident underscores the physical and emotional intensity of the current WNBA season and may result in fines or suspensions that could affect New York's roster availability for upcoming games.
