Dominique Malonga is the WNBA’s youngest player ever drafted. The Seattle Storm selected the 19-year-old French sensation with the second overall pick in the WNBA Draft.
According to the Seattle Times, the 6-foot-6 player went viral three years ago after she flushed a few slams at practice with ease. She was a bright teen with surprising athleticism and a wide range of skills. Last October, she made history as the first French woman to dunk in a game.
Malonga was born in Yaoundé, Cameroon, and joined veteran NBA player Tony Parker and his French team ASVEL Féminin at the age of 15.
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Parker quickly gave her the nickname “Female Wemby” in reference to their French national, Victor Wembanyama, the incredibly gifted big player selected first overall in the 2023 NBA draft.
This season, Malonga has averaged 15.4 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists for Lyon ASVEL Féminin, in addition to low-post scoring and shot blocking. She is also improving her perimeter shooting.
She led her squad, averaging 18.5 points and 11 rebounds per game in this year’s EuroCup Women’s competition.
“I was so proud to achieve that goal,” Malonga said during a post-draft interview when asked about being taken at No. 2. “It just showed that French basketball has evolved as we see in those past few years in the NBA side. We see Wemby or [2024 NBA No. 1 overall pick] Zaccharie Risacher that shows French basketball is great.
“It just shows that it’s not only men French players, it’s always also women. It’s just French basketball in general. And I’m so proud just to show that today, French basketball is at the level that we have never seen.”
However, Malonga is returning to France, and it is unclear when she will join the Storm, as their training camp begins on April 27 and Lyon ASVEL Féminin is slated to play in the EuroLeague quarterfinals on April 23.
Seattle Storm general manager Talisa Rhea stated, “It’s always a conversation with international players and even with US-born players who are overseas playing. We’ve had those conversations. We kind of know what to expect, and we’re open.
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“We feel like she is a talent that is worth going through that process with her. We’ll continue to be in conversation, and we will be thrilled to have her in Seattle as soon as she can get here.”
Malonga is the fifth player from outside the country to be selected among the top two picks in the WNBA draft, and the highest Storm draft selection since Breanna Stewart was selected first overall in 2016.
As long as they turn 20 in the year the draft is held, foreign players are permitted to enter the WNBA draft, the Seattle Times reported. Malonga will turn 20 in November. For American college athletes to be eligible, they must turn 22 in the year of the draft.
“It was a lot of emotion when I heard my name,” Malonga remarked. “I was kind of stressed first, but the minute I heard it was better, of course. At first I went to my mom. … It was symbolic to go to her first because she is one of the most important person of my life. She is one of the reason that I’m here today, and I really wanted to show that.
“And of course, my family, my dad, my brothers and my sister, they are everything to me. They’re the reason that I’m here today, and my motivation of every day. So, you could see that there was a lot of emotion between us. I’m so proud and happy to have been able to bring them here today.”
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