Dallas Wings center Li Yueru suffered an ACL sprain in her left knee and will miss the remainder of the 2025 season, the team announced Tuesday. Yueru was acquired by the Wings earlier in the season after requesting a trade from the Seattle Storm. She averaged 7.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game across 22 contests following the trade.
Yueru suffered the injury on August 15 against the Los Angeles Sparks. She was held out of Dallas' most recent matchup with the Las Vegas Aces due to a knee issue, but the severity of the injury had not yet been revealed. The Wings were defeated 106-87 by the Aces in Las Vegas.
Reports began surfacing on Monday that Yueru had suffered a season-ending injury. The Wings officially announced the news on Tuesday afternoon ahead of their upcoming game against the Sparks in Los Angeles. Yueru is expected to make a full recovery.
Overall, the Wings hold a 9-26 record. Dallas is in last place in the Western Conference standings. Yueru's impact has been important for Dallas, however. She will be missed as the '25 campaign winds down.
It will be interesting to see if the 26-year-old factors into the Wings' long-term plans. The Wings are building for the future. Paige Bueckers is emerging as the franchise star, while players such as Aziaha James and Maddy Siegrist are other young players who could impact the team for years to come.
Perhaps Li Yueru is also considered as someone the Wings hope to keep in Dallas in upcoming seasons. She offers reliable production in the paint and has enjoyed a number of impressive moments this season.
For now, Li Yueru will focus on recovering from her knee injury. Updates will continue to be provided as they are made available.
