The 31-year-old centre-back withstood a nasty elbow in the face from France's Camille Abily in the opening match to perform, initially with a black eye, a key role in England's run to the semi-finals of the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015.
But Bassett's tournament will be widely remembered not for the many crucial goal-saving challenges and interceptions she produced, but for the own goal that ultimately sealed the fate of the Lionesses in the dramatic last-four clash with Japan.
Bassett stuck out a leg as Japan mounted a stoppage-time raid on England's penalty area. The ball might have gone anywhere. Yet rather than run safe, or for the relative safety of a corner, it struck the underside of the crossbar and bounced a foot over the line, condemning Mark Sampson's side to a 2-1 defeat.
Team-mates immediately absolved Bassett of any blame, rallying to her side on the pitch and later in the dressing room.
"Laura is in a hard place, she really is," said Sampson.
Sampson needed no second invitation to praise the character of the Notts County Ladies player, who has an FA Cup final against Chelsea at Wembley with her club side to look ahead to.
That fixture, on 1 August, stands to become a celebration of the England team, with both sides featuring players who have shone over the last month in Canada.
"Laura Bassett epitomises what our team is about: she's honest, she's humble, she's hard working," Sampson said. "There's not one manager in the world who wouldn't want a Laura Bassett in their group.
"Laura Bassett as a person and footballer is a person anyone would be privileged to have as part of their life. She is a role model to every player in our team. Off the field she is the epitome of a good person.
"Any value you associate with a good person, Laura Bassett has in abundance. If she was your sister, your daughter, your best friend, you'd be a very lucky person to have Laura Bassett in your life."
A vicious Wikipedia edit of Bassett's profile, labelling her 'the greatest failure in English women's soccer history', went against the public sympathy that immediately poured out, with #ProudOfBassett trending on Twitter.
And Sampson added in England's post-match press conference: "Laura Bassett without any shadow of a doubt will go home as a hero.
"She's epitomised all the values England football fans want to see in that white jersey when you've got Three Lions on your chest: pride, passion, never say die, and play for the team.
"It was a horrible moment for Laura but you can see the regard in which the team hold Laura and all their team-mates by their reaction.
"There's not much you can say and what we did say will stay private, but most importantly this team can't be afraid to cry.
"They gave everything and when you give emotionally the amount that this team gave in this tournament, when there's the huge disappointment like there was, there's going to be that moment when you just let loose."
