The Dallas Wings earned an impressive 99-89 victory over the Chicago Sky on Wednesday, and center Li Yueru played a key role in the win. While Paige Bueckers once again led the way with a strong performance, she also made sure to praise Yueru’s impact in the game despite being in just her fourth WNBA season.
Coming off the bench, Yueru contributed seven points, nine rebounds, and three assists. Bueckers described her performance as “amazing,” adding that Dallas likely would not have secured the win without the center’s valuable 20 minutes on the court, during which she posted a +19 plus-minus, according to Dallas Hoops Journal.
“We knew their defense is largely drop coverage, so we were trying to attack that and look at those matchups,” Bueckers said. “Li and Jess and Lan and K did a really good job of getting us open. I thought Li had an amazing game. She was a plus-18 in 19 minutes, and we wouldn’t have won this game without her. For her to stay consistent in who she is, go through not playing and getting limited minutes, and still stay positive, be a great teammate, wait for her number to be called, and show up like this and perform, I think along with these two, that’s the highlight of the game.”
Wings’ Li Yueru gets praise from Jose Fernandez
Besides Bueckers, the Chinese-born center in Yueru would get immense praise from head coach Jose Fernandez, saying how she had a “huge impact” and was “tremendous.”
“[Kamilla] Cardoso was getting everything that she wanted. She was tough to defend. Li changed the game defensively because at least she could push her out and wall up and also provide that resistance inside,” Fernandez said. “We got stuff off the glass. I think it made Cardoso have to guard out on the perimeter because Li can stretch the floor. That opened up some things for our perimeter players to get downhill.”
Yueru looks to continue to contribute for the Wings in the next game on Friday night against the Atlanta Dream.
