Once it was reported that Sandy Brondello would be the Toronto Tempo’s first head coach, the remaining coaching vacancies filled up quickly. The Storm hired Sonia Raman, who was the head coach at MIT for years and has experience as an assistant in the NBA and WNBA. Even before the Storm’s decision was reported, Raman was widely regarded as one of the many assistant coaches who deserved a shot at a bigger role on the sidelines. Grizzlies and Liberty players were quick to congratulate Raman, showing how well she can connect with players.
Raman will bring a fresh approach and perspective to Seattle and will get a chance to work with one of the most exciting young players in the game. Developing Dominique Malonga and building around her should be the Storm’s focal point from now on. Raman may just be the perfect person for the job because of who she worked with when she was on the Grizzlies’ coaching staff.
Raman joined the Grizzlies’ staff in 2020, two years after the franchise drafted Jaren Jackson Jr. fourth overall. Jackson is one of the more versatile two-way forwards in the NBA. He is a prolific rim protector, leading the NBA in blocked shots twice and being named the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year. On offense, he can provide a big scoring presence in the paint while also spacing the floor. While not entirely comparable—Malonga has more often been compared to fellow French phenom Victor Wembanyama—there are some parallels between Jackson Jr. and Malonga, who promises to grow into one of the more versatile bigs in the WNBA.
Dominique Malonga hasn’t even scratched the surface yet
Malonga’s numbers in her rookie season didn’t jump off the page. She averaged 7.7 points and 4.6 rebounds in 14.3 minutes per game. However, those averages don’t encapsulate her full potential. Playing a small role for most of the season and getting used to the WNBA, Malonga got most of her points around the basket, using her size to her advantage. As she grows more comfortable in the WNBA, her game should become much more versatile.
Malonga didn’t establish herself as much of a 3-point threat in her rookie season, shooting 22.2% on 0.4 attempts per game. She did make two threes in her first playoff game, though, and was not afraid to let threes fly in her 2024-25 season with Lyon in France. With time, Malonga will also get more comfortable putting the ball on the floor.
Defensively, Malonga’s size makes her an asset around the rim. She may not have recorded a ton of blocks in her rookie season, but the potential is certainly there. Getting more comfortable with the speed and physicality of the WNBA and improving her timing on defense should make her a good rim protector soon. She averaged over one block per game in the French league and Eurocup play in the 2024-25 season.
Raman was on the Grizzlies’ coaching staff that helped Jaren Jackson Jr. become a two-way All-Star. Ideally, she will be able to help Malonga find a similar trajectory. After all, Malonga hasn’t even scratched the surface of her full potential yet.