Julie Vanloo stood exterior Barclays Middle two hours earlier than tipoff of the Los Angeles Sparks’ recreation in opposition to the New York Liberty on Thursday.
She was ready to clear waivers and be a part of her new workforce. Vanloo had an extended journey, paying for her personal flight in a single day from San Francisco after getting lower by the Golden State Valkyries on Tuesday.
It takes 48 hours for gamers to clear waivers, and he or she knew from her agent that the Sparks had been .
So she made the trek throughout the nation to be with Los Angeles. When the clock struck 5, Sparks common supervisor Raegan Pebley known as her new participant and got here upstairs to escort her into the sector.
“I used to be simply sitting there watching the clock go very sluggish, and I simply was ready till that second at 5 for that telephone name to say,” Vanloo mentioned after the Sparks misplaced to New York 89-79. “Something for the dream. I do not thoughts that. I might have stayed there one other hour.”
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It has been a curler coaster week for the 32-year-old, who helped Belgium win the EuroBasket title. She skipped the celebration in Belgium to fly again to San Francisco to rejoin the Valkyries however was waived an hour after her arrival. She mentioned after Thursday night time’s recreation that she holds no unwell will towards Golden State, however she needs the workforce had known as her as an alternative of getting her make the lengthy journey from Europe to the West Coast to chop her.
“I am not right here to throw stones at Golden State,” Vanloo mentioned. “When you’re with your loved ones and pals, it is a complete completely different story, and never actually being alone on the opposite facet of the world attempting to determine issues out.”
Vanloo mentioned she has been overwhelmed by every little thing that has occurred prior to now week. She hasn’t had time to course of something. She credit her household for instructing her resiliency.
“I come from a household the place we simply hold going. Like, my mother misplaced her dad and mom when she was 18 to a automotive crash. So she at all times says if no person died, we are able to hold going,” Vanloo mentioned. “After which my dad, he was an alcoholic for a really very long time, and he is been sober for 20 years.
“So the Vanloo household, we simply hold going. We do not sit down and be petty about it. We simply hold going.”
The Sparks had been completely satisfied so as to add her, giving the workforce one other proficient guard.
“I am so completely satisfied, so excited for her,” mentioned Sparks guard Julie Allemand, who performed on the Belgium workforce with Vanloo. “To start with, completely satisfied to have her within the workforce. She’s going to assist us so much, however completely satisfied for her as a result of, like, the final days had been loopy for her.”
Allemand mentioned she had been speaking to her pal all week and had hoped the Sparks would choose her up after she was lower. Allemand was texting with Vanloo within the remaining minutes main as much as her becoming a member of the workforce.
“It was loopy as a result of, like, we had been within the locker room and we had been ready for her,” Allemand mentioned. “Like she was ready exterior.”
Sparks first-year coach Lynne Roberts was thrilled to get Vanloo. Within the preseason, she torched the Sparks for 4 quick 3-pointers.
“After we heard that the Valkyries had waived her, I instantly mentioned to our GM, ‘Let’s examine if we are able to get her,'” Roberts mentioned.
Vanloo performed solely two minutes within the loss, however her time will enhance as she will get used to her new workforce.
One other member of the Belgian nationwide workforce who is predicted to return to the WNBA quickly is ahead Emma Meesseman. She performed seven seasons with the Washington Mystics and was the WNBA Finals MVP in 2019. She final performed within the WNBA in 2022 with the Chicago Sky. Meesseman was the MVP of EuroBasket, averaging 19.2 factors, 9.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.8 blocks per recreation.
ESPN’s Michael Voepel and The Related Press contributed to this report.