The Seattle Storm selected French professional basketball star Dominique Malonga with the second overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. On Friday, the Storm officially signed Malonga to a rookie scale contract, per the WNBA transactions page.
The Dallas Wings selected Paige Bueckers first overall, while the Washington Mystics quietly had a stellar draft. However, the Storm may have drafted the player with the highest ceiling in the league. Bueckers is unquestionably the best player, but Malonga features the potential of a true superstar. The 19-year-old offers versatility in her game while standing 6'6".
Dominique Malonga could be a future superstar
Her 7-foot-1 wingspan adds to her size benefit. There have been big players in the league before, of course, but it's difficult to remember a player who is as athletic and mobile as Malonga at her size. She is deceptively quick and she moves well on the floor. Malonga can also dunk the basketball.
On offense, Malonga can finish at the basket without question. She is capable of creating her own lane, but Malonga also plays well as a pick-and-roll finisher. She is still developing as a shooter, but Malonga is seemingly willing to shoot the basketball from deep.
Malonga projects to be a two-way star. Her size helps her on the defensive end, but she also has impressive instincts on that end of the floor. Whether it is causing turnovers or defending the basket, Malonga should be a reliable defensive presence in the WNBA.
The Storm knew how important this draft was. They needed to select their next franchise superstar. Seattle needed a new player to build around for the future. Sure, some prospects fail to live up to the hype, but Malonga's talent and high ceiling suggest she will find success in the WNBA.
The Storm will be an intriguing team to watch in 2025. Seattle was competitive a season ago, but it became clear in the postseason that the team wasn't ready for a true championship run. The Storm traded Jewell Loyd in the offseason in an effort to add a higher draft pick, something they ultimately achieved.
Now, Dominique Malonga is set to join the Storm. Malonga is hoping to lead the team for years to come. There will be an adjustment period once she initially joins the WNBA, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see her emerge as a star sooner rather than later.