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WNBA Seattle Storm

Storm Acquire No. 2 Pick in the 2025 Draft, Rights to Li Yueru and 2026 First Round Pick

February 1, 2025 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Seattle Storm News Release


SEATTLE - The Seattle Storm today announced the team has acquired the No. 2 pick in the 2025 WNBA draft and the rights to Olympian center Li Yueru, in a multi-team trade with the Los Angeles Sparks and Las Vegas Aces. The Storm also received Las Vegas' first round pick in the 2026 draft.

In exchange, the Aces will receive former Rookie of the Year (2015) and six-time All-Star Jewell Loyd, along with the 13th pick of the 2025 draft from the Los Angeles Sparks. The Los Angeles Sparks will receive two-time WNBA Champion and three-time WNBA All-Star Kelsey Plum, the Storm's No. 9 pick of the 2025 draft and the Storm's 2026 second round draft pick. This trade, along with one from January 2024 involving the Sparks and Kia Nurse, gives Seattle three first round picks in the 2026 draft.

In 2015, the Seattle Storm selected Jewell Loyd as the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. During her tenure with the Storm, Loyd played in 327 games and ranks second in franchise history for three-pointers made (567), top three for career points (5,536), assists (1,052) and steals (389), and in the top four in rebounds (1,189). She racked up 115 20+ point games and 25 30+ point games in her time with Seattle. In 2023, Loyd broke the WNBA's single-season scoring record with 939 points, was named Seattle Women's Sports Star of the Year and the WNBA All-Star Game MVP.

"Over the last ten years, along with winning two WNBA championships, two Olympic gold medals and earning six all-star appearances, among several other accomplishments, Jewell established herself as one of the best to play the game. Our entire franchise, from our ownership group to our fans, and everyone in between, loved watching her on the court, seeing her impact on the game and witnessing how she inspired countless young athletes," said Storm President and CEO Alisha Valavanis. "We are grateful for Jewell's time with us and all she poured into our community, on and off the court. We wish her all the best in her move to Las Vegas."

As part of this trade, the Storm acquired the rights to Yueru, a 6'7" center from Changzhi, China, who started playing professionally in the Women's Chinese Basketball Association in 2015. She spent five years playing for the Guangdong Dolphins, before being drafted in 2019 to the Atlanta Dream. In 2022, her rights were traded to the Chicago Sky, where she played 16 games. In 2024, she was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks. There, she played 38 of the 40 regular season games, averaging 5.1 points and 3.7 rebounds. Yueru played on the Chinese National Team during the 2020 and 2024 Olympics and currently plays for Galatasaray S.K. in Turkey.

Storm Season Tickets, Mini and Flex Plans, and Group Experiences are available for the 2025 season, while single game tickets will go on sale in the spring. For more information, visit http://storm.wnba.com or call (206)-217-WNBA (9622).

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