Los Angeles guard Julie Vanloo told Mirror U.S. Sports of her experience playing with the Golden State Valkyries, in EuroBasket, and getting waived on her flight home before landing with the Sparks
19:41 ET, 10 Jul 2025Updated 19:56 ET, 10 Jul 2025
Belgian star Julie Vanloo shared her whirlwind last couple of weeks after winning EuroBasket(Image: NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES — Julie Vanloo experienced a “full-circle” moment by signing with the Los Angeles Sparks after a heartbreaking roster move appeared to bring her WNBA career to an end.
Vanloo started the 2025 season with the Golden State Valkyries, tabbed as one of the stars to bring women’s basketball to the Bay Area again. In mid-June, the 32-year-old was among those called upon to help defend Belgium’s EuroBasket title, which she successfully accomplished.
Instead of celebrating with her teammates, Vanloo immediately took a flight back to Golden State. As she was in the air, the guard found out she had been waived by the Valkyries and was left without a proper team to report to after the heartbreaking turn in her WNBA career.
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Soon after the news, the Sparks signed Vanloo. At one point, the guard played without a name on her jersey, showing how badly the team needed productive players on the court. In her first home game as a member of the Sparks, Vanloo spoke to Mirror U.S. Sports on the journey she’s had in just the last handful of weeks.
“Yeah. I mean, I already knew the WNBA was like a hard world. Like, it’s not for softies, if you know what I’m saying,” the guard said before Los Angeles’ 91-82 loss to the Minnesota Lynx in which she scored 15 points off the bench. “Like, I already know that. Like, I already know how much I had to do to get into the league. So, that was nothing new to me.
“It was always a dream to play in the league. My second dream was to make an impact and stay in the league. So, I mean, this past week has been like definitely a rollercoaster. It hasn’t been easy mentally. Like, I’m just trying to take it all in. You’re going from Heaven, where you win a medal with your country, to literally Hell when they just tell you, like, ‘Yeah, we’re not moving on with you.'”
Julie Vanloo started the season with the Golden State Valkyries, was waived on her return from EuroBasket and now is with the Los Angeles Sparks(Image: Photo by Evan Yu/NBAE via Getty Images)
The 32-year-old added that while she has no issue with Golden State waiving her due to the nature of the business, Vanloo admitted that she did not like how the Valkyries went about letting her go. Part of what made the situation difficult for her to adjust to was the fact that Vanloo gave everything she had for the franchise, even leaving her family behind to return to the United States.
“It’s just that the way things were done wasn’t really, I would say, fair to me,” she continued. “I definitely would have wanted the option to come later and to actually be with my family and friends. Because, you know, you just come at home in Golden State. You think you come at home and then they just tell you, ‘Yeah, we’re not moving on with you.’
“So, that was definitely the hardest part for me because I had nobody there. Like, no family, no friends. And that was the thing that I wanted to do the most after winning a medal, being with my friends and family. And I decided not to because I was so committed to Golden State. I really love that team.”
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With how everything went between Vanloo and the Valkyries, the guard is only looking ahead to her future with the Sparks. Vanloo said that she “respects” the business of the WNBA and believes it will make her a “stronger” player and person once it is all said and done.
As she continues her WNBA career, Vanloo recalled an experience she had as a fan and how that time sitting in the stands has come full circle with her donning a Sparks jersey.
“I told this story already — to Golden State or to Washington, I don’t remember. My first WNBA game ever that I watched was here in this gym, watching the L.A. Sparks as a fan. And the circle is full for me right now. Coming back here.
“So, maybe it’s just that everything happens for a reason. And I’m very happy to be here,” she concluded.