New Wings Player Shares 'Cute' First Impression of Paige Bueckers

New Dallas Wings center Li Yueru had a great response when asked her first impression of Paige Bueckers.
Jun 11, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) against the Phoenix Mercury at PHX Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Jun 11, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) against the Phoenix Mercury at PHX Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

On June 4, news broke that 6'7" center Li Yueru had requested a trade out of the Seattle Storm franchise after spending just eight games with the team. She has spent the 2024 season playing for the Los Angeles Sparks.

And on June 14, it was announced that the Storm had traded Yueru to the Dallas Wings for two future draft picks. This was an interesting trade, if only because the 1-11 Wings have struggled to get much production out of their post players so far this year. And while Yueru is not an All-Star caliber type of player, she should be able to carve out a solid role for herself on the team.

Of course, Dallas is also the home of rookie superstar Paige Bueckers. And when speaking with the media on June 15, Yueru got honest about her first impression of the 23-year-old UConn Huskies legend.

"Really exciting. You know, yesterday, when the news [came out], a lot of friends told me, 'Wow, you will play with Paige!' I said 'Yes, I do, mhmm,'" Yueru said, per an X post from Myah Taylor of the Dallas News. "They said she's the best, and [they want me to have a] wonderful time with her together."

When asked about her first impressions of Paige, Yueru added, "She's cute. And I just say hi with her this morning with her, so I hope we can do something on the court, and I hope we can build something together."

Wings fans are excited to see what sort of on-court chemistry Yueru and Bueckers can produce together.

Recommended Reading:


Published
Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

Share on XFollow GrvntYoung