The Seattle Storm drafted Dominique Malonga second overall in a 2025 draft that still had Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen available. Malonga’s stats may not stand out compared to the numbers other rookies are putting up this season, but she has an incredibly high ceiling. What sets Malonga apart from her fellow rookies is that she is only 19 years old and the youngest player in the entire WNBA.
Her development will take time and patience. Malonga’s youth and inexperience have shown themselves in several instances already. Nevertheless, the French rookie is making progress and impressing her veteran teammates.
After the Storm’s 101-85 win over the Connecticut Sun, Nneka Ogwumike said, “Dom is someone who you witness her growth and progression in the game. It’s not even just game by game. It’s literally with every minute that she plays you are seeing her develop…It’s truly just the beginning for her.”
Storm fans should be thrilled with Ogwumike’s assessment of her rookie teammate. Even before the season, most fans were aware of Malonga’s raw potential. However, no one can gauge her development better than her teammates and coaches. Ogwumike’s words suggest that Malonga is developing quickly—maybe even more quickly than initially expected—and that promises great success for the Storm’s future.
Dominique Malonga put together a good three-game stretch
Malonga’s minutes have been up and down all season long. Due to her youth, Coach Noelle Quinn cannot always trust her to play extended minutes, especially against the top teams in the league. Recently, Malonga has seen some more consistent minutes.
Malonga logged four consecutive games with at least 13 minutes, including a 25-minute stint against Connecticut. The last three games also marked her most consistent stretch production-wise.
Malonga recorded her first double-double against the Chicago Sky with 14 points and 10 rebounds. She also dished out three assists and had two blocks. The youngster followed up her career game with another near double-double against the Washington Mystics. Against Connecticut, she recorded 12 points on 50 percent shooting from the field, six rebounds, one steal, and one block. Malonga took a career-high 12 shots, showcasing increased confidence.
Her growth over the first 25 games of her WNBA career has been evident and not entirely surprising. After all, Malonga has two great veteran bigs to learn from in Seattle.
Seattle is working with two timelines
The Storm have done a solid job balancing the present with the future. A team featuring Skylar Diggins, Nneka Ogwumike, Gabby Williams, and Ezi Magbegor is obviously built to win now. The Storm have done that. With 16 wins and 11 losses, the Storm have the fifth-best record in the league. They are only one game behind the third-seeded Phoenix Mercury, though, and will also have some chances to overtake the Atlanta Dream.
When a team is desperate to win at the highest level, it is often difficult to find minutes for a rookie who is as young as Malonga and plays the same position as two of your best players. Nevertheless, Noelle Quinn has made the effort to play Malonga whenever the situation allows it. She may not see a ton of minutes in close games or against strong teams, but Quinn has made up for that by giving Malonga extended minutes against weaker teams, like Connecticut, Chicago, and Dallas.
Part of the Storm’s core is rather old in basketball terms. Diggins and Ogwumike are 34 and 35 years old, respectively. Williams is also approaching 30. Alysha Clark, Erica Wheeler, Tiffany Mitchell, and Lexie Brown—four of the Storm’s most important role players—are 30 or older as well.
While Diggins and Ogwumike still have several years of good basketball ahead of them, the Storm must start thinking of the future as well. Malonga is the key to that.