Wings center not playing in FIBA World Cup due to passport being lost in mail

Dallas Wings center Li Yueru will not represent China at the FIBA Women’s World Cup after her passport was lost in the mail, preventing her from traveling to Berlin for the tournament.

Li announced the news Wednesday on Instagram, saying that her passport had not been found despite efforts to resolve the situation.

“Thank you to everyone who has been thinking of me and checking in on me. Over the past few years, I’ve maintained a great relationship with the Chinese Basketball Association and the national team. They have always been a strong source of support throughout my career overseas,” she wrote. “The national team have always made me feel valued and wanted, and it has always been a tremendous honor to represent China. I was incredibly excited and looking forward to joining the national team again.

“Unfortunately, my passport was lost in the mail and still hasn’t been found. Throughout this time, we’ve all been working hard together and exploring every possible solution, but maybe we were just a little short on luck this time. As of today, the passport is still missing,” Li continued. “Sometimes, disappointment is simply part of life. I’m sad that I won’t be able to be there this time, but I’m incredibly grateful for everyone who has supported me and continues to support Chinese women’s basketball.”

The 27-year-old has been a crucial player for China in recent international competitions. She helped the country win a silver medal at the 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Sydney, finishing third on the team in scoring at 10.1 points per game and second in rebounding at 7.6. She also represented China at the 2021 and 2024 Olympics.

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Li was China’s leading scorer, averaging 17.7 points and 11.0 rebounds while shooting 63% from the field. She also led all players in the tournament in rebounding. China failed to advance from the group stage at those Games.

Li joined the WNBA in 2022 with the Chicago Sky after being selected by the Atlanta Dream in the third round of the 2019 WNBA Draft. She later played for the Los Angeles Sparks and Seattle Storm before joining Dallas in June 2025. Across 114 WNBA games, including 14 starts, she has averaged 4.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 12.7 minutes.

This season with the Wings, Li has appeared in 29 games as a reserve, averaging 3.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 10.3 minutes per game.

China will begin its World Cup campaign Friday, Sept. 4, against the United States in Group D. Without Li, China can turn to Han Xu, who stands 6-foot-10 and was the fifth-leading rebounder at the 2022 World Cup while earning all-tournament honors. China also has 7-foot-3 19-year-old Zhang Ziyu available in the frontcourt.

The World Cup runs from Sept. 4 through Sept. 13 in Germany. Li’s absence means Dallas will have one fewer player participating in the tournament, with Alanna Smith representing Australia, Costanza Verona representing Italy and Paige Bueckers representing the United States. The WNBA’s World Cup break began Aug. 31 and is scheduled to continue through Sept. 16.

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