WNBA Liberty guard ejected after shoe hits Toronto star

In a bizarre and pivotal moment during a closely contested WNBA game, New York Liberty guard Betnijah Laney-Hamilton was ejected on July 12 for throwing a teammate's shoe that struck Toronto Tempo star Marina Mabrey. The incident occurred late in the fourth quarter of a game at the Bell Centre in Montreal, ultimately contributing to the Liberty's 93-91 loss.

The sequence unfolded with just under two minutes remaining in regulation. Liberty center Jonquel Jones lost her right shoe during a play. After a whistle stopped the action, Laney-Hamilton threw the shoe from behind half-court in an attempt to return it to her teammate. The shoe sailed across the court and struck Mabrey in the back as she was engaged in conversation, either with a referee or her coach.

Officials reviewed the play and assessed Laney-Hamilton a technical foul for throwing a projectile onto the court. As it was her second technical foul of the game, the ruling resulted in an automatic ejection. The Tempo were awarded a technical free throw, extending their lead to 91-89, and they held on to win by two points, snapping a four-game losing streak.

After the game, Laney-Hamilton insisted the act was unintentional....