ATLANTA – The Atlanta Dream have signed free agents Betnijah Laney and Jaylyn Agnew, the organization announced Wednesday.
Laney, a 6-0 guard, played for the Fever in 2019, averaging 5.6 points and 4.2 rebounds in 26 minutes per game and starting in 27 of 34 contests. The four-year WNBA veteran, who was originally drafted by the Chicago Sky with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2015 WNBA Draft out of Rutgers, has career averages of 3.6 points and 2.6 rebounds over 103 career games.
“Betnijah is an important pick up for us because of her experience and her tenacity at both ends of the floor,” said head coach Nicki Collen. “She will give us size and versatility at the defensive end of the floor as we look for ways to absorb the loss of all-defensive player Tiffany Hayes. She will also help create pace and extra possessions on offensive as she is relentless on the glass. Betnijah is coming off an incredibly productive campaign in Israel and we are excited to welcome her to the Dream.”
A 5-11 forward out of Creighton, Agnew was named the 2020 BIG EAST Player of the Year as a redshirt senior. She averaged 20.8 points (543 total) in her last season with the Bluejays, tallying 13 20-point games with a league-best four 30-point outings.
Agnew led the nation at the charity stripe, making 76 of 80 free throws for an NCAA-high 95.0 shooting percentage. She claimed the BIG EAST scoring title with the highest average (23.1) since former Dream forward Angel McCoughtry’s 26.6 points per game with Louisville in 2008-09.
“I believe Jaylyn is the ultimate sleeper, and we were prepared to draft her before Washington beat us to the punch,” Collen said. “I have had the opportunity to follow her career from when she was first playing club basketball in high school all the way to seeing her earn BIG EAST Player of the Year and earning a Master’s Degree from Creighton. She is an effortless shooter, with a quick release, and has the quickness to keep defenders honest off the bounce. We will need her three-point shooting to replace what we lost in Renee Montgomery. At 6-0, she has the length and athleticism to defend multiple positions effectively and takes great pride in it. I am thrilled to have her join the Dream family.”
Atlanta’s 2020 roster, which was completely restructured during the offseason, will feature two returnees – Elizabeth Williams and Monique Billings – and 10 newcomers led by guard Courtney Williams and No. 4 overall draft pick Chennedy Carter.
The WNBA and Atlanta Dream recently announced the 2020 WNBA season will tip-off this July with a competitive schedule of 22 regular-season games followed by a traditional playoff format at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. This season marks the organization’ 13th in the WNBA. The Dream have qualified for the playoffs nine times, winning conference titles in 2013, 2011 and 2010.