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LOS ANGELES – One team’s loss is another team’s gain, and that certainly was the case for the Los Angeles Sparks this past week. Following the Golden State Valkyries’ controversial release of Julie Vanloo, the Sparks immediately jumped in, signing the Belgian guard to a contract for the rest of the season.
The Sparks initially had to wait for Julie Vanloo to clear waivers before signing her, but once she did, she was immediately available for the team’s game last week against the New York Liberty.
On Thursday, Vanloo had her best game in a Sparks jersey, albeit the team’s 91-82 loss to the Minnesota Lynx. She finished with 15 points, two rebounds and three assists while shooting 5-of-7 from three-point range in 17 minutes off the bench. Following the game, Vanloo spoke about the disappointment she initially felt when waived by the Valkyries.
“It was a rough week for me, so I’m trying to fit in as much as I can. . I really love the way we do practice and I was able to get in rhythm. . .I just honestly really want to have fun,” Vanloo said. “I was really at rock bottom a week ago, and I got picked up and I’m just so happy. I just want to play basketball, I want to help the team, and that’s what I’m here for.”
Vanloo is in her second season in the WNBA after playing with the Washington Mystics last year as a rookie. She was left unprotected in the expansion draft and was selected by the Valkyries.
She appeared in nine games for the Valkyries this season, including two starts, at just about 20 minutes per game. She averaged 4.6 points, 1.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists. Vanloo had temporarily left the Valkyries to play for the Belgium national team at Eurobasket, and the team had signed rookie guard Kaitlyn Chen to a hardship contract in the meantime.
Upon her return from Eurobasket, the Valkyries revealed their intentions to keep the players they had and cut Vanloo. For Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts, as soon as she found out Vanloo was available, she immediately implored general manager Raegan Pebley to try and sign her. She brings the type of offensive punch the team has needed with the second unit.
“It’s great, it’s what we’ve been missing and that’s why I was thrilled. I’ve shared that, but when the Valkyries released her I said to our GM, ‘let’s see if we can get in on that,’” Roberts said. “I felt like the one thing we really needed was a punch off the bench and someone that could really shoot it. We’ve got good players off the bench, I’m not trying to say that, but just someone that could come in and be instant offense.”
