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Kevin Pelton
SEATTLE — After Thursday’s practice, Seattle Storm center Li Yueru explained her request for a trade reported Wednesday by saying she was enjoying her first season with the Storm but looking for more playing time.
“I don’t feel I have enough time on the court,” said Li, a native of China who is in her third WNBA season. “I came here only to play the game. I’m really happy and appreciative because I know many teammates, I’ve made many new friends and know many different staff, coach. These really let me feel happy, and I’m so glad for that, but playing is one of the important things for me.”
Originally drafted by the Atlanta Dream in 2019 at age 19, Li made her WNBA debut with the Chicago Sky in 2022, averaging just 5.1 minutes per game. She saw more playing time with the Los Angeles Sparks last season after sitting out 2023, playing a career-high 14.4 MPG and averaging 5.1 points and 3.7 rebounds.
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Acquired by the Storm as part of the trade that sent Jewell Loyd to the Las Vegas Aces and brought the No. 2 pick to Seattle, Li has played a situational role as part of the Storm’s deep center rotation. Seattle has 2023 WNBA All-Star Ezi Magbegor as a starter at the position and drafted Malonga with the No. 2 pick.
Li saw a combined 35 minutes in the team’s first two games, which came against bigger centers Kalani Brown and Teaira McCowan, but has played more than eight minutes just once since then. She made a pair of 3-pointers in the first quarter Tuesday against McCowan and the Dallas Wings, yet saw no action after halftime because McCowan did not enter the game.
“I just want to play,” Li said. “I came to America only for one reason — just that I want to play basketball.”
She made it clear that a larger role with the Storm would be her preference ahead of a trade.
“I’d love to stay here,” Li said, “because I feel so happy every day, whenever I come to practice or go to the gym.”
Barring injury, however, more minutes might be difficult to find. Malonga, who played just 16 minutes over her first three games at age 19, has seen her role grow subsequently. Malonga has played at least 10 minutes in four of the Storm’s past five games.
Coach Noelle Quinn said Sunday that Malonga “grew up today, in a lot of ways” after she played the entire fourth quarter against the Las Vegas Aces. Malonga scored eight points on 4-of-7 shooting in the period to lead a Seattle comeback.
Quinn said Thursday that she has not discussed Li’s role with her since the trade request.
“We have [talked] early on about her role,” Quinn said. “She’s well aware of that. She’s expressed she enjoys it here, she loves this team — the best that she’s felt in a while. It’s just getting her to understand the matchups that we’ve had and whether we’re big or small, where she can find her spots to get on the floor. She’s been pretty receptive to that.”
A source confirmed Li’s trade request, first reported by GirlsTalkSportsTV.com, to ESPN on Wednesday. According to the source, the Chinese federation prefers Li get more playing time if she is to remain in the WNBA.
An important part of the Chinese national team, Li led China in scoring (17.7) and rebounding (11.0) at the Paris Olympics last year.
ESPN’s Alexa Philippou and Michael Voepel contributed to this report.
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