Longtime WNBA Veteran Admits Paige Bueckers Is 'Cute'
Longtime WNBA Veteran Admits Paige Bueckers Is 'Cute' originally appeared on The Spun.
Longtime WNBA veteran Li Yeuru turned heads with her comment on Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers over the weekend.
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Yeuru, a center from China, was acquired by the Dallas Wings on Saturday. The Wings traded a second-round pick in the 2026 WNBA draft and a third-round selection in 2027 to the Seattle Storm in exchange for the 6-foot-7 center, originally from Changzhi, Shanxi, China. She's been playing in the WNBA since 2022, when the Chicago Sky brought her to the U.S.
The veteran WNBA center turned heads with her first impression of the standout rookie point guard from the University of Connecticut.
COLLEGE PARK, GEORGIA - MAY 24: Paige Bueckers #5 of the Dallas Wings runs up the court during the third quarter of a game between the Dallas Wings and Atlanta Dream at Gateway Center Arena on May 24, 2025 in College Park, Georgia. (Photo by Andrew J. Clark/)Andrew J. Clark/The longtime WNBA veteran admitted that her first impression of Bueckers was that she's "cute."
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"Yesterday with the news, a lot of friends told me, 'Wow, you will play with Paige!' And I said, 'Yes, I do, mmm-hmm!'" Li gushed. "They said a lot of fans love her, and they said she's the best."
"I just said hi this morning with her," Li continued. "So I hope we can do something on the court, and I hope we can build something together."
English is the WNBA veteran's second language, so there could be some kind of barrier here. Still, it's not often that you'll hear one professional athlete refer to another as "cute."
The 6-foot-7 center is mostly just excited to get back on the court.
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"I don't feel I have enough time on the court," Li explained last week. "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."
"I just want to play," Li added. "I came to America only for one reason — just that I want to play basketball."
The Dallas Wings are 1-11 on the season and certainly in need of a major spark.
Longtime WNBA Veteran Admits Paige Bueckers Is 'Cute' first appeared on The Spun on Jun 16, 2025
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
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