WNBA: Draft - Source: Imagn — Dominique Malonga warns WNBA players with bold in-game dunk claim - Source: Imagn

Dominique Malonga warns WNBA players with bold in-game dunk claim

Modified Apr 17, 2025 10:40 GMT

French basketball prodigy Dominique Malonga has warned the rest of the league about facing her next season. The newly drafted WNBA player opened up in an interview on Wednesday about her intentions to dunk on players when league action resumes.

Malonga revealed that she was 14 when she learned to dunk. When asked if she would be dunking on anybody in her rookie year, the now 19-year-old responded without revealing any names:

"Yeah, definitely. ... I'm gonna get in trouble."

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The Seattle Storm selected Dominique Malonga as the No. 2 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft on Monday.

As a result, she became the highest drafted French player in league history and the youngest to be drafted in the franchise's 25-year history. Now, Malonga is preparing to showcase her abilities by taking on the big stars in the league this season.

Standing at 6-foot-6, the forward-center was already highly rated in France while playing professionally for ASVEL Féminin (formerly Lyon Basket féminin).

Last season, she averaged 15.4 points, 10.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 22 games. In October 2024, she also became the first Frenchwoman to dunk in an official game.

Seattle Storm GM happy with drafting Dominique Malonga in WNBA Draft

After Dominique Malonga was picked by the Seattle Storm in the 2025 draft, the organization's general manager, Talisa Rhea, expressed happiness about adding her to the team.

Speaking on Tuesday after the event, Rhea said:

"Dominique is a rising global star, and we are thrilled to welcome her to Seattle. She brings versatility, skill, and a high level of efficiency. We know she’ll be an integral part of our team, now and for years to come."

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The Storm is a rebuilding team with a focus on developing young talent while pairing them with experienced veterans.

This is evidenced by their move to re-sign Ezi Magbegor last year. They also brought in 10-year veteran Skylar Diggins-Smith and 13-year veteran Nneka Ogwumike in February 2024 to build a strong roster with younger stars like Li Yueru and Zia Cooke.

Now, Malonga will look to establish herself in Seattle next season while improving her game and playing alongside seasoned WNBA stars.

About the author

Peter Okereke is a WNBA writer & analyst for Sportskeeda. Since his first foray into online journalism in 2019, Peter has written hundreds of articles on Football and Basketball.
His most recent stint was at FirstSportz, where he wrote extensively on the NBA and the WNBA. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Port Harcourt and uses his analytical skills to enhance his creativity in sports journalism, especially in basketball.

Coming from a predominantly football nation, Peter is a die-hard Chelsea fan but fell in love with basketball after watching Kobe Bryant and LeBron James create magical moments in the NBA. This fandom is reflected in his writing, allowing him to share engaging stories and connect with fans around the world with factual insights and relatable narratives. He holds a strong, often controversial opinion that the Los Angeles Lakers are the greatest team in the NBA and that LeBron James is the greatest of all time.
When he's not writing, Peter is binge-watching movies or traveling.

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