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The Los Angeles Sparks recently made two roster moves. LA extended a reserved qualifying offer to Li Yueru and extended a restricted qualifying offer to Aari McDonald, per WNBA.com. The Sparks are hoping to compete following a disappointing 2024 season, and McDonald and Yueru could help them during the upcoming campaign.
Li Yueru
Yueru has played in 54 total WNBA games. She made her debut in the league in 2022 with the Chicago Sky. She only appeared in 16 games, though. In 2024, though, Yueru made a big impact on the team, playing in 38 games.
She ended up averaging 5.1 points per game on 46.3 percent field goal shooting. Yueru also recorded 3.7 rebounds per outing.
At just 25 years old, Yueru could certainly factor into the Sparks’ long-term plans. She features an intriguing ceiling and could possibly earn an even more significant role in 2025.
Aari McDonald
McDonald, a 26-year-old, has played four seasons at the WNBA level. She spent her first three seasons with the Atlanta Dream before joining the Sparks for the 2024 campaign. McDonald played in 26 games during her first season in Los Angeles.
She averaged 8.7 points, 3.7 assists and 2.0 rebounds per outing in 2024. McDonald displayed signs of potential and 2025 could also see her take a step forward. The Sparks seem to believe in McDonald, and it will be interesting to see what her role will be in 2025.
Sparks looking to rebound after forgettable 2024 season
The Sparks finished with the worst record in the entire WNBA in 2024. Their 8-32 record was obviously far from ideal. Yet, LA still did not receive the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, as that went to the Dallas Wings in the WNBA Draft Lottery.
The Sparks are in a difficult position. They feature a number of talented players, but it remains to be seen when they will be able to seriously compete for a deep postseason run. The Sparks still have work to do as they try to improve the roster.
Perhaps McDonald and Yueru will help the Sparks take the next step. Every good team in the WNBA features a respectable amount of depth, and Yueru and McDonald will certainly add important depth for the team.
WNBA free agency is set to begin in February. If the Sparks can add enough talent, they could make some noise in 2025.
