On May 2, WNBA team Los Angeles Sparks held a press house for the new season. The team's general manager Pibre and head coach Miller praised the Chinese women's basketball center Li Yueru in unison. Previously, the Sparks acquired Li Yueru through a trade, and she also recently completed joint training with the team to prepare for the new season together. Miller said: "Li Yueru was the biggest surprise after we started training camp, I really can't describe how I felt inside, but all in all, I'm very excited that the team can get players like that. "Li Yueru is a perfect fit for our team in every way, she's a positive player with a smile on her face all the time, and I'm very excited to get a player like that. ”
Li Yueru had previously played in the WNBA for the Sky team, but in her first year, she had to adapt to many aspects due to her new arrival in the WNBA, and she was given very limited opportunities, and Li spent most of that season on the bench. In the second year, Li Yueru originally wanted to prove herself through her season performance, but unfortunately, she suffered a serious knee ligament injury when she represented the Inner Mongolia women's basketball team in the WCBA finals last year. Because of this, Li Yueru's season was reimbursed in advance, which made her very unwilling.
It took a long time for Li Yueru to recover her body and form, and she made a comeback at last year's Asian Games with an outstanding performance. After winning the Asian Games, Li Yueru did not have time to rest, and she immediately left for Turkey to join the Besiktas team. Li Yueru told a reporter from Beijing Youth Daily at the time: "I chose to join the Turkish league because I want to further improve my ability there, I still have WNBA dreams that have not been realized, and I want to prepare myself in this way." "In Besiktas, Li Yueru is the starting center forward, she has been fully trained, and her performance on the field is also very outstanding. Li Yueru often gets double-double stats, and her role in the team is irreplaceable.
After the season, Li Yueru flew to Los Angeles again to join the Sparks. Li Yueru said: "Due to various reasons, as well as my own injuries, I was in and out of the WNBA twice, and I couldn't really stand on this stage and bloom. This year I have done well in Europe, and there are more teams looking forward to seeing my future and growth. So, I decided to take the chance. If I hadn't been able to get playing time at the beginning, I'd have tried to give 100 per cent to get a chance and let my dream take off. But this will be the last time I break into the WNBA. This year, with the determination to win, if I still can't get a foothold in the WNBA, then I believe that I don't have the WNBA option in my life, and I will return to China to shine on other stages. ”
Li Yueru performed well in the Sparks' training camp, and she also won the recognition of the team's management and coaches. "When we made a trade to get Li Yueru, our original intention was to keep the squad competitive, Li Yueru is a good fit for us in all aspects, she brings us so much joy, she keeps a smile and even though the coach challenges her in many ways, she is still happy," said Pibre. She has just had a good season abroad, she is also a very important member of the Chinese national team, she has brought us a good basket protection ability, and we are looking forward to her season performance. ”
Head coach Miller couldn't hide his delight, saying: "We're thrilled to get Li Yueru, and when we make a deal like this, it's a big deal to trade a potential No. 8 pick for two players that we see as starters. Li Yueru was undoubtedly our biggest surprise at the camp, she had a great performance in the first three days of the camp, she has a great experience in the international arena, and she will give us a lot of positive help. At the same time, I believe she will make a significant difference to the city of Los Angeles. The other thing I want to say is that even without an interpreter, she understands the tactics and what we are saying, and I can't describe how excited I have been in the last three days. ”
"I'm here and I'm excited to be able to play against the top players. I also hope that by playing against them, I can make myself better and make our team better. Li Yueru said.
Text/Beijing Youth Daily reporter Song Xiang
Editor/Xu Zhao