By Xiaotao Zhong
Medill Reports
When Li Yueru was preparing for her first game for the Chicago Sky, she told Tencent Sports she needed to start her WNBA career by playing some exceptional defense.
She did exactly that last Saturday.
Just more than two minutes into her WNBA debut against the Las Vegas Aces on May 28, the 6-foot-7 center recorded a steal and a block against Aces star Kelsey Plum, one of the most skillful guards in the league.
“When I first joined the team, the coach wanted me to get the rebounds and get in positions in the low post,” Li said in Mandarin after her debut. “I tried to do these things once I came on, but I was a little bit tight so I didn’t play well offensively, but I hope I can do better in the next game.”
The 23-year-old rookie arrived in Chicago just last Saturday after a few months of communications among her agent, the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) and the Sky. Li’s WNBA dream finally came true after all the twists and turns. The seventh Chinese female basketball player in history to play in the WNBA, Li said she will fight for a spot in the rotation while showing the spirit of Chinese women’s basketball.
Li was drafted by the Atlanta Dream with the 35th overall pick in the 2019 WNBA draft. But it turned out to be a surprise for her, one she wasn’t prepared for. Li was eligible for the draft because the draft rule automatically gives eligibility to all international players who are turning 20 years old in the draft year. However, after underperforming in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in 2018, she decided to stay in the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA) to work on her skills.
“I was really happy when I first got drafted,” Li said. “But I know that my skills and abilities weren’t enough at that time. Even if I joined the team and came to the U.S., I would’ve stayed on the bench for most of the time, and I don’t think I would’ve had a chance to play.”
During the past three years, Li won two WCBA titles with Neimenggu women’s basketball team. She also became one of the best players for the national team. In the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Li led China to the quarterfinals with a team-leading 14.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. After seeing the improvements and keeping a great form, Li said she felt like she was WNBA-ready. All she needed was another chance to kick-start her overseas career.
The opportunity emerged when the Los Angeles Sparks acquired Li’s rights in February 2022, and the Sky later acquired her rights in March. However, concerns arose as the CBA worried the national team’s preparation for the 2022 Asian Games and FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, both of which will be played later in the year, might be affected because of Li’s departure. CBA officials and Li finally agreed upon her staying for another year and leaving for the U.S. after finishing these two tournaments.
While it looked like Li’s WNBA journey hit a snag before it even started, the Asian Games 2022, originally due to be held in Hangzhou, China, in September, were postponed to next year due to rising COVID-19 cases in the area. Soon after the announcement, Li’s team, CBA officials and the Sky immediately restarted the negotiation, and Li was able to join the team.
“When an opportunity like this comes up, they (the CBA officials) definitely are willing to give me the chance to play here,” Li said.
After making her debut for the Sky, Li’s next step is to make it into the coach’s regular rotation. While the defending champions have many experienced players in the frontcourt with Finals MVPs Candace Parker and Emma Meesseman, Li can bring in some fresh blood as the youngest player on the team.
“I am very excited to add her to the roster,” Sky coach James Wade said. “I think she gives us another added dimension that we really appreciate.”
As the tallest player on the roster, the center will be able to provide some size for the interior defense while also contributing on the offensive end with her scoring ability in the low post and around the rim.
“I am still young, so I will give everything every time I hit the floor,” Li said. “I hope I can bring more energy to the squad.”
Li and Han Xu, her teammate on the national team who currently plays for the New York Liberty, are the two only active Chinese players in the WNBA. Since Han played one season in the league in 2019, she’s already getting some steady minutes after returning to the Liberty this season.
“Both me and Han Xu are hoping to display the spirit of the China Women’s National Basketball Team, the spirit of giving it all and fighting for every single possession on the court, when we play in the WNBA,” Li said.
Xiaotao Zhong is a sports media graduate student at Medill. You can follow him on Twitter at @SunnyZ_16.
