Li Yueru was traded to the Dallas Wings after forcing her way out of Seattle. She immediately fills a need for a struggling WNBA roster and she cannot wait to play alongside Paige Bueckers.
It will be curious to see whether this is the move that finally sticks.
Li hails from Changzhi, Shanxi, China. The 26-year-old began her professional career in her home country in 2015 and spent eight seasons with the Guangdong Dolphins and Inner Mongolia. The Sky brought her stateside in 2022. This is her third full year in the WNBA.
Chicago played Li less than six minutes per game during her rookie season with Chicago. She averaged just 1.8 points and 1.5 rebounds that year and missed all of 2023 with an injury.
When a return to the court neared closer, Li Yueru was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks. Her time on the court increased by more than nine minutes per game and she averaged 5.1 points with 3.7 boards. It was a much improved performance but it still was not what she wanted.
Li asked out of L.A. The Sparks granted her request and traded her to Seattle.
That leads us to the current 2025 campaign.
Li’s playing time dropped significantly with the Storm. She averaged just 2.8 points and 1.6 rebounds in 8.7 minutes over the first nine games. It did not go according to plan. Seattle used her as a deep role player off of the bench. There was no way she would ever crack the starting lineup.
As a result, Li demanded yet another trade. The Storm obliged. They shipped her to Dallas in exchange for a second-round pick in 2026 and a third-round pick in 2027.
The Wings got a position of need and Li Yueru got what she wanted, again. Will this be the one that finally works out? Only time will tell.
However, the 6-foot-7 center could not be more excited to play alongside Paige Bueckers. She hopes they can build something special.
Li Yueru immediately got to work upon arrival to Texas. Believe it or not, her three-point shooting is one of the best parts of her game.
Li Yueru can shoot…#WNBA | @WingsBulletin pic.twitter.com/qWDfSTMqPZ
— Landon Thomas (@sixfivelando) June 15, 2025
The Wings won just one game through the first 12 games of the 2025 WNBA season. It would be very funny if Li Yueru ultimately proves to be the difference-maker after a minimal role on her first three teams. It would also be funny if she plays even less in Dallas than she did in Seattle and forces another trade.