‘Gave Me a Lot of Confidence’: Li Yueru Building on Career Night as Dallas Wings Face Los Angeles Sparks

Li Yueru has been steadily carving out a role since joining the Dallas Wings, but Tuesday night against the Indiana Fever was a breakthrough. With Arike Ogunbowale sidelined by right knee soreness, Yueru came off the bench to score a career-high 20 points, adding key defensive stops in an 81–80 win at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Her performance helped Dallas snap a five-game skid and secure just its fourth road victory of the season.

“I feel — I mean, I like that feeling,” Yueru told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “I can do something inside and try to do more things. I really appreciate my teammates. They try to help me a lot, give me good feeling, and I’m really appreciative.”

Since being acquired by Dallas, Yueru has averaged 7.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 21 games, starting 12. She’s shooting 42.6% from the field, 35.4% from three, and 84.2% from the free-throw line in 20.6 minutes per game — all career bests.

Building Confidence from a Breakthrough Performance

At Friday’s shootaround ahead of facing the Los Angeles Sparks, Yueru said the Indiana game reinforced what she can do in the paint. She noted that being trusted in multiple offensive looks—whether popping for threes or sealing in the low post—helps anchor the team’s frontcourt options.

“That gave me a lot of confidence for post-ups,” Yueru told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “I should be stronger, play harder in the paint area, and that will help our team more.”

She added that one of the keys now is sustaining that level of play around the basket, not just in moments when the team needs a scoring lift, but throughout an entire game and over multiple outings. Yueru said that means staying aggressive even if her first few shots don’t fall, continuing to demand the ball inside, and trusting her work in practice.

“I can feel [Coach Koclanes] wants to put me more in the paint area now,” Yueru told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “He tries to call some plays for me to do something inside, and I really appreciate that. I try to do my best in there. Sometimes I don’t have a good feeling or I worry too much about things, but I try to believe in myself and do better in there to help the team.”

Making an Impact in Indiana

Yueru entered midway through the first quarter and quickly made her presence felt, drilling two three-pointers during a 10–1 run that stretched Dallas’ lead to double digits. She kept the Fever’s defense honest by mixing perimeter shots with deep seals in the paint.

“Myisha just told me every time, ‘Try to post up, post up, stay inside,’ and she will pass to me,” Yueru told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “I’m feeling great for this moment. I’m really encouraged by her. She tries to teach me and gives me energy. She brings a lot of energy for me, and I’m really appreciative.”

The center credited the coaching staff with helping her refine her game. Yueru said the assistant coaches she already had a relationship with — Nola Henry and Camille Smith — have been instrumental in her progress. The two worked with her during her time with the Sparks, so there was already a level of trust and understanding when she arrived in Dallas.

“They have helped me a lot, whether in practice or just talking to me,” Yueru told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “Nola and Camille talk to me a lot, trying to help me feel more confident and do more things to make me comfortable. I feel I’m learning more and doing more things, so I want to keep that going.”

Meeting the Challenge Against Aliyah Boston

Yueru also drew praise for her work against All-Star Aliyah Boston, one of the league’s most efficient and physically imposing post players. Tasked with holding her ground against Boston’s strength and footwork, she battled for position early, contested without fouling, and forced the All-Star into tough finishes.

“Physicality — moving her feet, staying straight up, not backing down,” head coach Chris Koclanes told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “Aliyah Boston is tough — she can take one crab dribble and stick you under the hoop. I loved that we didn’t back down. That was the biggest message — can we bring the fight to them this time?”

Yueru embraced the challenge, viewing it not only as a test of her strength but also as an opportunity to measure her growth against one of the WNBA’s most dominant interior players. She said facing Boston forces her to be locked in mentally on every possession, knowing that one lapse in positioning or footwork could lead to an easy basket.

“She’s really good,” Yueru told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “I just prepare every time to guard her. Sometimes I don’t do really well, but I focus on defending better next time.”

Teammate Support and Chemistry

Hines-Allen, who tallied eight points, six rebounds, and a career-high nine assists, called Yueru’s play decisive. She pointed to Yueru’s ability to finish through contact, stretch the defense with her shooting, and stay locked in defensively against one of the league’s premier posts.

“She dominated today — we don’t win that game without her,” Hines-Allen told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “She got some and-ones… they came in crunch time. Without those strong finishes, I don’t think we win that game.”

Yueru, who debuted with the Wings on June 17 against the Golden State Valkyries, said building chemistry with her teammates since then has been vital, especially in learning the guards’ tendencies and understanding how they want to initiate the offense.

“I appreciate Paige, all the guards, and all my teammates,” Yueru told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “When I’m not feeling good, they know me and talk to me. They tell me, ‘You can do it,’ and to believe in myself. When I miss a shot, they say, ‘You can make the next one, don’t worry about it.’ That means a lot to me, and I really appreciate them.”

Koclanes credited the high-low connection between Yueru and Hines-Allen as a key offensive driver, noting how their chemistry allows Dallas to generate quality shots even when the half-court offense stalls. With Hines-Allen’s ability to read the floor from the elbow and Yueru’s willingness to either seal her defender or pop into open space, the Wings can keep the defense in constant rotation.

“She spoke to it — her and Myisha working high-low, finding her on the inside,” Koclanes told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “It’s good when she throws a couple threes in, but she had a presence inside and got to the free throw line a little bit.”

Closing Strong and Defensive Growth

After Indiana cut a 17-point Dallas lead to one in the final minutes, Yueru delivered the game’s defining moment — muscling in a layup through Boston’s contact, drawing a foul, and converting the free throw. Paige Bueckers called her ability to be both a post threat and stretch the floor “really important” to Dallas’ offense.

Yueru said defense remains a major focus for her and the team. She noted that it’s been a point of emphasis throughout the season and an area where she’s seen noticeable improvement. She pointed to the group’s work in both traps and post defense and how the Wings have been more connected recently.

“We do a lot to focus on our defense, and I think we’ve improved a lot — whether in traps or in the post,” Yueru told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “For me, I feel I’ve improved in my pick-and-roll defense compared to before, but I’m still trying to get better in other positions, give more help to the team, and contribute more to our defense so we can turn it into offense. I feel really good about that.”

She noted that pick-and-roll coverage, particularly hedging and recovering, has been an area she enjoys working on because it challenges her footwork, conditioning, and awareness simultaneously. Yueru said she takes pride in disrupting the ball handler without leaving her team vulnerable at the rim.

“I like doing that,” Yueru told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “I like to put all my energy into defense and try to stop the other team to help us defend better. Sometimes it’s a little hard because the guards are really fast, so I try to be quicker to follow them and stop them from scoring to help our team.”

Staying Ready for Opportunity

Koclanes said Yueru’s performance was a perfect example of preparation meeting opportunity, crediting her for staying engaged and ready even when her minutes or touches fluctuate from game to game. He noted that her commitment in practice — whether it’s running post-up drills, refining footwork, or working on defensive coverages — has positioned her to step in and make an impact when her number is called.

“You just don’t know, and when your opportunity comes and you’re ready for it, everyone’s going to get opportunities,” Koclanes told DallasHoopsJournal.com.

The Wings return to action on Friday, hosting the Los Angeles Sparks at College Park Center, with Yueru aiming to build on her career night and newfound confidence inside.

More Dallas Wings News & WNBA Rumors

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• WNBA News: “They Try to Help Me a Lot”: Li Yueru Credits Dallas Wings Teammates After Career Night vs. Indiana Fever
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