Why is Liberty's Betnijah Laney Hamilton’s crossover on ex-UCLA star Gianna Kneepkens trending

Gianna Kneepkens #8 of the UCLA Bruins dives for a loose ball during an NCAA basketball game against the Maryland Terrapins, Sunday January 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, Calif.

(Jordan Teller - The Sporting Tribune)

The New York Liberty opened their 30th WNBA season with a record-setting 106-75 victory over the Connecticut Sun on Friday night at Barclays Center.

Breanna Stewart led the short-handed Liberty with 31 points and 10 rebounds. The forward became the second-fastest player in WNBA history to reach 6,000 career points. New York's 106 total points also established a franchise record for a season opener.

The 31-point margin marked the largest victory for a Liberty head coach on debut, securing Chris DeMarco his first regular-season win. New York overwhelmed Connecticut early, scoring 36 points in the first quarter. This represented the team's highest-scoring opening period since 2023.

Veteran guard Betnijah Laney-Hamilton provided the standout moment of the match. She played her first regular-season game since missing the entire 2025 season following left knee surgery. Early in the contest, she executed a sharp dribble move that sent Sun rookie Gianna Kneepkens to the floor. Laney-Hamilton then scored a jump shot, igniting a sellout crowd that included Liberty Ring of Honour member Kym Hampton.

The 32-year-old Laney-Hamilton finished with 12 points and four assists, shooting 57.1 percent from the field. For Kneepkens, the match served as a stark introduction to professional basketball. The rookie previously led UCLA to the 2025-26 National Championship. She recorded seven points and five rebounds in 13 minutes off the bench.