LOS ANGELES -- Julie Vanloo showed why the Sparks wanted her so badly, even as they fell to the Lynx on Thursday night. Coming off the bench, the Belgian guard poured in 15 points, going five for seven on threes and giving LA’s offense a much-needed spark in the 4th quarter push.
“She plays with pace, she is unbelievably good with the pick and roll and she can flat out shoot it,” Sparks Coach Lynne Roberts said after the game. “We’ve been missing that kind of shooter.” LA made 13 threes as a team at 48%, numbers the coach credited Vanloo with.
Vanloo’s shooting wasn’t the only highlight. She organized the second unit, pushed the ball in transition, and delivered veteran poise to keep LA in striking distance despite defensive lapses that let Minnesota win.
But for Vanloo, this game was about more than stats. Before tipoff, she spoke candidly about how much this opportunity means after a chaotic week of travel, signing, and getting settled.
“It was always a dream to play in the league. My second dream was to make an impact and stay in the league,” she said. “This past week has definitely been a roller coaster. It hasn’t been easy mentally. I’m just trying to take it all in.”
She emphasized how grateful she is to the Sparks for embracing her style of play and her situation.
“They let you be free, which I love. That's definitely something that I love the most,” Vanloo said. “You need to let me be free in order to have the best Julie, and I feel like since I came here, they let me be that. They were very understanding about my situation.”
She also praised the organization for its culture and support, making it clear this stop feels special.
“I really think about, oh, I'm being picked up by a great team and a great organization, and I really love the way they take care of people,” she said. “It's a huge difference [from] Golden State, so I'm super happy.”
Vanloo also spoke about wanting to make teammates better. She hopes her shooting and playmaking will give star guard Kelsey Plum more room to operate.
“I hope that sets KP a little bit more free. I love to create with the ball. I'm a good passer, too. So whatever role the coach wants me in, I'll do it.”
Despite the 91-82 loss, LA sees clear signs that Vanloo can be a stabilizing force and floor-spacer for a team fighting to stay in playoff contention. For Vanloo, it’s another step in turning her WNBA dream into something lasting.