Li Yueru
Chinese basketball player (born 1999)
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Li Yueru (Chinese: 李月汝; born 28 March 1999) is a Chinese basketball player for the Dallas Wings of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and for the Mist of Unrivaled. She also plays for the Chinese national team.[1] Li was drafted in the third round of the 2019 WNBA draft by the Atlanta Dream.[2]
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Li with the Seattle Storm in 2025
Nicknames = the Chinese assassin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 28 – Dallas Wings | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Center | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League | WNBA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 28 March 1999 Changzhi, Shanxi, China | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WNBA draft | 2019: 3rd round, 35th overall pick | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Drafted by | Atlanta Dream | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing career | 2015–present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2020 | Guangdong Dolphins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2023 | Inner Mongolia Nongxin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | Chicago Sky | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Beşiktaş | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | Los Angeles Sparks | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | Bodrum Basketbol | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024–2025 | Galatasaray | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | Seattle Storm | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025–present | Dallas Wings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026–present | Mist BC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medals
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| Li Yueru | |||||||
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| Simplified Chinese | 李月汝 | ||||||
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Professional career
China
Li started her professional career in China. She played for the Guangdong Dolphins (2015–2020) and Inner Mongolia (2020–2023) of the Women's Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA).
WNBA
Chicago Sky (2022)
Li was originally drafted with the 35th pick by the Atlanta Dream in the 2019 WNBA draft. However, she continued playing in China and never joined the Dream. On 5 February 2022, her rights were traded to the Los Angeles Sparks along with Chennedy Carter in exchange for Erica Wheeler, a 2023 WNBA draft first-round pick and a 2022 WNBA draft second-round pick.[3] Li was subsequently traded on 30 March 2022, to the Chicago Sky in exchange for Lexie Brown.[4] Li joined the team late, as she was waiting for permission from the Chinese Basketball Association,[5] and did not see a lot of playing time during the season. She left the Sky at the end of July to join her national team in preparation for the 2022 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup.[6]
Li missed the 2023 WNBA season due to an injury suffered during overseas play.[7]
Los Angeles Sparks (2024)
On 21 February 2024, Li was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks along with Julie Allemand and a 2025 WNBA draft third-round pick in exchange for a 2024 WNBA draft first-round pick.[8]
Seattle Storm (2025)
On 1 February 2025, the Seattle Storm acquired the reserve rights to Li in a three-team trade and subsequently signed her to a contract.[9]
Dallas Wings (2025–present)
On 14 June 2025, Li was traded to the Dallas Wings in exchange for a 2026 WNBA draft second-round pick and a 2027 WNBA draft third-round pick.[10]
Li made significant impact after joining the Wings roster, immediately reshaping the team's interior presence on both offense and defense.[11] In her first four games, she averaged 7.3 points and 7.3 rebounds, highlighted by a standout performance on June 24, when she recorded 10 points and a career-high 15 rebounds in a 68–55 win over the Atlanta Dream.[12] Li played an instrumental role for the Wings during a period when Teaira McCowan and Luisa Geiselsöder were absent due to national team commitments.[13][14] However, on August 19, the team announced that Li would miss the remainder of the season following an ACL sprain in her left knee, sustained during a 97–96 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on August 15. She is expected to make a full recovery.[15] Li concluded her third WNBA season with averages of 7.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.
Unrivaled
On 5 November 2025, it was announced that Li had been drafted by Mist BC for the 2026 Unrivaled season.[16]
Turkey
Beşiktaş
Li played for Beşiktaş of the Women's Basketball Super League in the 2023–2024 season.[17]
Bodrum Basketbol
Li signed with Bodrum Basketbol for the 2024–2025 season and played there from September to November.
Galatasaray
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On 21 November 2024, Li signed with Galatasaray.[18][19]
National Team career
Li participated at the 2017 FIBA Women's Asia Cup.[20] She competed for the Chinese national team at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, where she led the team in points, rebounds, efficiency and field goal percentage.[9][21][22]
Career statistics
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game | RPG | Rebounds per game |
| APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game | BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
| TO | Turnovers per game | FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| Bold | Career best | ° | League leader |
WCBA
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–16 | Guangdong Dolphins | 20 | 9 | 7.6 | .488 | .000 | .667 | 1.9 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 2.7 |
| 2016–17 | Guangdong Dolphins | 18 | 15 | 12.7 | .489 | 1.000 | .698 | 4.2 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 6.6 |
| 2017–18 | Guangdong Dolphins | 25 | 25 | 29.0 | .534 | .250 | .732 | 10.5 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 3.5 | 18.2 |
| 2018–19 | Guangdong Dolphins | 33 | 33 | 25.9 | .601 | .167 | .690 | 10.3 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 2.4 | 18.5 |
| Career | 96 | 82 | 20.4 | .565 | .211 | .707 | 7.5 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 2.1 | 13.1 | |
Source: WCBA[23]
WNBA
Regular season
Stats current through end of 2025 season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Did not appear in WNBA | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | |||||||||||||
| 2021 | |||||||||||||
| 2022 | Chicago | 16 | 0 | 5.1 | .444 | .000 | 1.000 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 1.8 |
| 2023 | Did not appear in WNBA | ||||||||||||
| 2024 | Los Angeles | 38 | 2 | 14.4 | .463 | .267 | .898 | 3.7 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 5.1 |
| 2025 | Seattle | 9 | 0 | 8.7 | .300 | .500 | .917 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 2.8 |
| Dallas | 22 | 12 | 20.0 | .421 | .353 | .842 | 5.8 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 7.4 | |
| Career | 3 years, 4 teams | 85 | 14 | 13.5 | .434 | .343 | .893 | 3.6 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 4.8 |
