Li Yueru has signed with First Pick Management, because even when you’re 6’7″ and dropping 20/20 stat lines on international hardwood, you still need someone to negotiate the fine print.

The Chinese basketball star—known for redefining what it means to be “dominant in the paint” with the subtlety of a freight train—joins an agency that reps Kaela Davis, Erica Wheeler, and Ajsa Sivka. But this isn’t just a client pickup. This is a declaration that First Pick knows where the future of global basketball is headed: tall, tactical, and from Changzhi.

If you’re wondering whether Li’s career reads more like a spreadsheet than a highlight reel, think again. She’s been anchoring Team China with Olympic poise and FIBA fury, casually racking up 22-point, 23-rebound games like she’s organizing pantry shelves. Her Tokyo Olympics run? Nearly 15 points and 8 boards per game. Her domestic dominance with the Guangdong team? Well, let’s just say they started measuring success in Yueru Units.

And yes, she’s dipped into the WNBA—drafted by the Atlanta Dream, made her mark in Chicago, gave L.A. a taste, and now navigates Seattle with that quiet “I could crush you but I’m polite” energy. It’s not just a career—it’s a case study in strategic globalization.

So, what does a First Pick partnership mean? Probably better deals. Maybe a sneaker line that doesn’t look like it was designed for small forwards. And ideally, more spotlight for a player whose stat lines suggest she moonlights as a demigod.