On Wednesday, Chinese language heart Li Yueru formally requested a commerce from the Seattle Storm, which was first reported by the Chinese language Ladies’s Hoop Present and confirmed by Khristina Williams of iHeart Radio Ladies’s Sports activities.
Yueru was drafted thirty fifth general by the Atlanta Dream within the 2019 WNBA Draft and performed for the Chicago Sky in 2022 and the Los Angeles Sparks in 2024. Final season, she averaged 5.1 factors, 3.7 rebounds, and 14 minutes per sport whereas showing in 38 video games for the Sparks.
Listed here are the groups throughout the WNBA that might match greatest for Yueru.
Breaking: Li Yueru’s representatives have formally requested a commerce from the Seattle Storm, sources inform @iHRWomensSports.
— Khristina Williams (@Khristina) June 4, 2025
Inside Li Yueru’s Play Fashion
Yueru is acknowledged for her 6-foot-7 body and offensive versatility, excelling within the pick-and-roll whereas persevering with to develop her energy and inside sport. Moreover, Yueru is a two-time Olympian for the Chinese language Ladies’s Nationwide Staff. The middle had a breakout efficiency within the Paris Olympics, main China in factors, rebounds, effectivity, and subject purpose share.
Li Yueru is 2-2 from three pic.twitter.com/q3xx8TN0g9
— WNBA Clips & Highlights (@WNBAPlayerWatch) June 4, 2025
The Seattle Storm acquired Li Yueru as a part of a three-team commerce that despatched guard Jewell Loyd to the Las Vegas Aces. As a part of the deal, the Storm additionally acquired the No. 2 general choose within the 2025 WNBA Draft, which they used to pick 19-year-old heart Dominique Malonga from France.
Seattle Storm normal supervisor Talisa Rhea commented on the addition of Yueru within the offseason, stating, “Li [Yueuru] brings intensive expertise on the worldwide stage and has solely begun to make an affect within the W. Her bodily presence and effectivity within the paint add essential depth to our frontcourt.”
Li Yueru’s Function with the Seattle Storm By means of Eight Video games
With a beginning frontcourt of Nneka Ogwumike and Ezi Magbegor, the Storm has had an intriguing begin to the season and presently holds a 4–4 file by means of eight video games.
After eight video games with the Storm, Yueru is averaging 2.9 factors and 1.6 rebounds per sport. Seattle is happy with Malonga’s improvement and has elevated her enjoying time in current video games. In distinction, Yueru’s enjoying time has decreased after the workforce accomplished its first two video games of the season.
Noelle Quinn’s teaching workers is thought for not offering bench gamers a lot enjoying time, whereas three of the starters—Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins, and Gabby Williams—rank among the many league’s high 20 in minutes per sport.
Las Vegas Aces
With Megan Gustafson and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus out for the Las Vegas Aces resulting from damage and being pregnant, the workforce wants a backup ahead or heart for three-time MVP, A’ja Wilson.
Ahead Kiah Stokes is averaging 1.5 factors and 5.7 rebounds per sport by means of six video games for the Aces. Yueru would match Las Vegas’ system and supply a long-term enhance to the bench
Dallas Wings
The Dallas Wings have struggled within the frontcourt all through the primary eight video games of the season, though they’re sixth within the league in workforce rebounds per sport with 35.9. They would wish somebody constant on each ends of the courtroom to rebound and rating aggressively within the paint.
A change within the frontcourt could possibly be doable for the Wings, who presently have a backcourt trio consisting of DiJonai Carrington, Arike Ogunbowale, and Paige Bueckers. Dallas may even want to amass somebody who can compete towards the highest gamers within the ahead and heart positions throughout the WNBA. Yueru could possibly be the participant who would examine all of the packing containers for the workforce’s wants.
At the moment, head coach Chris Koclanes has tabbed Myisha Hines-Allen and NaLyssa Smith because the beginning frontcourt, whereas 6-foot-7 Teaira McCowan averaged simply 5 factors off the bench within the final sport
Connecticut Solar
The Connecticut Solar revamped their roster within the offseason, shedding their beginning 5. Nonetheless, Marina Mabrey and Olivia Nelson-Ododa stay the one two gamers to return from final season. Tina Charles made her return to Connecticut in free company. She beforehand performed for the workforce from 2010 to 2013 and was the league’s Most Beneficial Participant in 2012.
The Solar presently rank final within the league this season in each rebounds per sport (31.3) and factors per sport (70.9. This was significantly evident after their powerful outing towards the New York Liberty on Sunday. Yueru would be the key participant who can thrive in Rachid Meziane’s teaching system and create some alternatives for Connecticut.
Phoenix Mercury
The offseason additions of Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally within the frontcourt seems to be working nicely for the Phoenix Mercury whereas coping with the absences of Kahleah Copper and Natasha Mack.
The Mercury will want somebody to contribute to the paint and on the boards whereas Sabally or Thomas is resting on the bench. Though Phoenix already has Kalani Brown, who has been performing nicely for the workforce in current video games, Yueru may be a possible possibility.
