One missing letter, one World Cup gone
Li Yueru will not play at the FIBA World Cup. The Dallas Wings center cannot get to Berlin because her passport vanished in the mail and still hasn’t turned up.
She broke the news herself on Instagram on Wednesday. “Unfortunately, my passport was lost in the mail and has still not been found,” the 27-year-old wrote. “All this time, we have worked hard together and explored every possible solution, but maybe luck wasn’t on our side this time. As of now, the passport is still missing.”
Without it, she cannot leave the United States. China open their tournament against the Americans on Friday.
“The national team has always made me feel valued and wanted, and it has always been a huge honor to represent China,” she added. “I was incredibly excited to be back with them.”
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Bench player in Dallas, franchise player in Beijing
The gap is enormous. In the WNBA, Li Yueru barely plays. She is averaging 3.3 points and 2.6 rebounds in 10.3 minutes across 29 games in Dallas this season. Her North American career line reads 4.4 points and 3.3 rebounds in 12.7 minutes over 114 games, with 14 starts total.
Put her in a China jersey and the picture flips. At the 2024 Paris Olympics she was their best player, posting 17.7 points and 11.0 rebounds a night. A double-double every time out, all 6-foot-7 of her camped in the paint.
That is what China lose 48 hours before tipping off against the toughest team in their group.
A career that has never run in a straight line
Atlanta drafted her in the third round back in 2019. She did not play a single WNBA minute until 2022, when she finally suited up for the Chicago Sky.
Then she sat out the following season. She came back in 2024 and has worn three jerseys since: Los Angeles, Seattle, Dallas.
Injuries have cost her before. Roster decisions too. This one is an envelope that never showed up.
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