Julie Vanloo signs with Sparks after being suddenly waived by Valkyries, will play vs Liberty
Vanloo was waived by the Valkyries on Monday, after being away from the team for the EuroBasket tournament as part of Team Belgium. Vanloo and Belgium triumphed over Spain in the EuroBasket final on Sunday; one day later, as she returned to Golden State, she was waived.
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Now, she will get a fresh start with the Sparks. Within 40 minutes of the announcement, Vanloo was seen warming up ahead the game.
Vanloo, 32, had a long career in Europe before joining the Washington Mystics in 2024. She was then selected by the Valkyries in the 2025 expansion draft. Vanloo had limited time on the court for Golden State prior to being waived., averaging 4.6 points and 4.1 assists per game, and averaging 20 minutes.
In a lengthy Instagram post on Tuesday, Vanloo laid out the complex series of emotions that came with being waived. The Belgian guard said that she missed out on celebrating the victory with her team in order to return to the Bay area as soon as possible, but that she had been waived "1 hour upon arrival."
"Honestly, that stung. I understand it's business, but nothing prepares you for the loneliness that comes with getting cut. It feels like the whole world suddenly crashes on your shoulders," Vanloo wrote.
"When it hurts this much to be waived, it means it was something truly special to be part of and I'm forever grateful for that," she added later in the post. "Right now, I'm overwhelmed with emotion and just need a little time to process it all."
When asked by reporters about Vanloo on Wednesday, Nakase defended the manner in which Vanloo was waived.
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"From my perspective, I thought it was respectful because whenever a situation like that happens, you bring them in and as an adult you say thanks face to face," Nakase said, via ClutchPoints' Kenzo Fukuda.
Vanloo will be a welcome addition to the Sparks, who are 11th in the league with a 5-12 record. Though the guard will likely still come off the bench, Vanloo will be a veteran presence in the backcourt alongside Kelsey Plum, and a complement to forwards Dearica Hamby and Rickea Jackson.
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