The Chicago Sky has acquired the rights to center Li Yueru from the Los Angeles Sparks in a sign and trade agreement, the team announced today. In exchange, Chicago sent guard Lexie Brown to Los Angeles.

“Li is an established player in China and on an international level, who adds much value,” General Manager and Head Coach James Wade said. “This is as much about our future as it is about now. We think she is going to be a good player in the WNBA for a very long time, so we’re very happy that she will be playing in a Chicago Sky uniform.

At 6’7”, Yeuru, 23, is a standout center for the Chinese national team, averaging 14.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and shooting 78.6% from the field in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

A native of Changzhi, Shanxi, China, Yueru is currently competing in the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association (WBCA) for Inner Magnolia, where she is contributing an average of 8.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.

A native of Changzhi, Shanxi, China, Yueru, 23, is a standout player for the Chinese national team. In the Tokyo Olympics, she averaged 14.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and shot 78.6% from the field.

Yueru was drafted by the Atlanta Dream in the third round (35th overall) of the 2019 WNBA Draft. Her rights were acquired by Los Angeles on Feb. 5, 2022.

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