Holding an interesting moniker of Female O’Neal by Chinese basketball fans, the LA Sparks 6-foot-7 center, Li Yueru is one of WNBA’s rising hidden gems from China who averaged 14.8 points with a 78.6% shooting per game at the 2021 Olympics. Representing her home soil, China at the 2022 FIBA World Cup, Yueru scored 19 points with 80% shooting and 12 rebounds against Team USA.

With the Olympic stage set and the golden glory on the rise, the Chinese women’s basketball team is bringing their end game with Li Yueru representing the team for the second time on the big stage. So let’s explore her Olympic journey and basketball career.

Li Yueru’s international basketball journey

“I started playing basketball in 2010 because of my height. Then I fell in love with this game. I think basketball means a lot to me. I can’t live without basketball, it is my whole life,” Yueru expressed her love for the game. The now 25-year-old’s international journey started when she participated in the FIBA U16 Women’s Asian Championship 2015. Yueru averaged 22.1 points and 16.1 rebounds per game, leading China to another title.

Two years later, she made waves when she debuted as an 18-year-old blazing fire with 17.2 points and 9.3 boards per game at the Women’s Asia Cup in 2017. The nervousness was only settling in.

“I still remember the first basket I made, an inside shot. I didn’t remember where was I and what did I was doing at that time. I felt very confused at the moment… The only thing I felt was nervous. My brain was blank and my body was a little stiff. I shot just based on the feeling of normal training,” said Yueru describing her thoughts from the time.

Since then, Li Yueru has taken her performance and skills only northwards. From 2017, Li Yueru has participated in every FIBA tournament, may it be the Asia Cup, World Cup, or the Olympics Basketball Tournament, she has had a wide exposure of international competitions.

After being a key player at the Tokyo Olympics and the FIBA world cup, averaging 14.8 and 10.1 points respectively, Yueru significantly helped her team in securing the Paris spot. At the women’s qualification for the 2024 games earlier this year, the 25-year-old, put up a double-double of 22 points and 23 rebounds to help China to a 106-69 win over Puerto Rico.

“She also shares that passion for winning,” LA Sparks’ general manager, Raegan Pebley had noted and for her team with a victory drought on the big stage, the emotion remains just as relevant.

Will Li Yueru’s China women’s national basketball team finish first in Group A?

Kicking off their first round play on Sunday July 28, China looks strong against its first opponent Spain, given the former rank at no. 2 in the world by FIBA as they feature elite talents like Han Xu and Li Yueru, posing a firm defense in the rim.

After securing 5th position at the Tokyo Olympics, the Chinese women’s national basketball team hopes to win its first team medal in more than 3 decades with Han Xu bracing for impact at 6-foot-9, joined by Li Meng and Li Yueru.

All three have tasted what it feels like playing in the WNBA as Han Xu spent three seasons with the New York Liberty, whereas Li Meng was an All-Rookie selection for the Washington Mystics last year, and Li Yueru, who is the LA Sparks star in the making. So, if it comes to it, they will be facing the most anticipated team, the USA women’s basketball team led by the WNBA veteran, Diana Taurasi only post group stage.

On the other hand, Spain is a formidable team, with the Aces’ Megan Gustafson alongside the Spanish staple Queralt Casas. The Spanish team have secured a spot two places south from China at no. 4 on FIBA world rankings.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting pilot episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and SEC All-Freshman Team Selection, Silas Demary Jr