Who is Dominique Malonga? 2025 WNBA Draft's foreign phenom set to take Olivia Miles' spot? 

By Ben Pfeifer

Modified Apr 04, 2025 14:30 GMT

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With Olivia Miles now out of the 2025 WNBA Draft picture, Dominique Malonga projects to slide into that second spot. The French 19-year-old big brings rare physical and athletic traits requisite of a top-two prospect in nearly any draft class. She’s playing against international competition, excelling against professionals early in her career.

ESPN reported Malonga’s intention to enter the WNBA as soon as possible. If that’s the case, there shouldn’t be any question around who Seattle should draft second overall. Malonga won’t turn 20 until November of this year, yet 6-foot-6 big is already a productive pro.

Playing for Lyon in the French first division, Malonga averages 14.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.6 stocks (steals plus blocks) on a solid 54.2% true shooting clip. She leads the league in rebounding and blocks per game; Malonga is the only player in her league to grab double-digit boards on a nightly basis.

Malonga’s production for her age is quite staggering, especially compared to her other WNBA Draft peers who are all two to four years older than her. Just four high-major freshmen and sophomores averaged above 14 points and 8 rebounds per game this season. None of them, aside from UConn’s Sarah Strong (who is a special prospect in her own right) come close to Malonga’s level of physical and athletic talent.

Her production is far from fake, as Malonga exhibits rare traits that could help her develop into a WNBA star. Defense will be Malonga’s primary selling point. At 6-foot-6 with an obviously loong wingspan, she defends with stupendous range and mobility in space while protecting the basket at a high level and making plays on the perimeter.

At the WNBA level, Malonga’s main defensive appeal comes from her ability to shut down the paint from all over the floor. Her height should let her function as a primary rim protector in the league. Malonga’s mobility separates her from most giant WNBA bigs, letting her swoop in from the weak side to guard thet paint and execute a variety of defensive coverages.

Lyon almost exclusively sends Malonga on hedges and traps defending the pick and roll, weaponizing her outlier size and recovery tools. They can run an aggressive defense because of Malonga’s court coverage, letting her recover back to the paint when players pass around the pressure. On an island, her feet move quickly enough to contain smaller players and wall them off from the basket.

Stronger post players give Malonga trouble now, as she lacks the strength to hold position down low. Her high center of gravity will limit her defense there, but Malonga will add strength as she ages and matures. Even when she gives up ground, Malonga’s sheer height helps her recover to contest shots.

Strength improvement will help Malonga improve on offense, as she relies heavily on her height and quickness to score at the basket. She’s an incredibly effective finisher, but Malonga could afford to carve out space with her body more often. Her 24% free-throw rate is fairly low for a player of her stature.

Malonga’s interior scoring superpowers stems from her driving, though. Very few 6-foot-6 human beings on this planet move like Malonga in space. Her speed, coordination and fluidity remind of a smaller wing or guard, not a towering center. Lyon will let her attack closeouts and push in transition, making for some of her most jaw-dropping highlights.

Pushing in transition, keeping dribble handoffs and cutting in space all let Malonga access the rim as a slasher. Her ultimate offensive ceiling could rely on her 3-point shooting development, an area where she’s shown some promise. Malonga made 11-35 (31.4%) of her 2.3 3-point attempts per 40 minutes.

She’s a more willing spacer now, increasing her 3-point volume by over 50% this season. Her confidence shooting threes off of the catch as well as her solid mid-range shotmaking provide some hope she can develop into a reliable outside shooter at the WNBA level.

Playmaking improvement will help Malonga play on the perimeter, but she’s already a solid passer from the paint. Her 0.67 assist-to-turnover ratio doesn’t inspire tons of confidence, but young players often struggle with turnovers and many of Malonga’s result from strength and control limitations.

There are real flashes of processing speed and decision-making within her tape. She’ll make basic reads as a short-roll passer and has some laydown vision. Blending her passing with her driving on the move could boost her ceiling further on offense.

On the surface, Malonga might not seem like a logical fit for the Storm at second overall, assuming the Wings draft Paige Bueckers atop the draft. They’re already stacked with two elite bigs — Nneka Ogwumike and Ezi Magbegor. Neither of them space the floor on high volume (Ogwumike is efficient on low volume), and Malonga’s shooting projection is murky,

WNBA teams might prefer a more polished, older prospect over one perceived as a longer development project like Malonga. That development, though, is worth the risk. Malonga, despite her faults, is already an impactful, productive two-way player in a professional basketball league.

At the top of drafts, teams shouldn’t overvalue team fit. Rosters and situations fluctuate rapidly and in ways we don’t expect, especially considering the impending new Collective Bargaining Agreement in 2026. The Storm could slot a guard like Sonia Citron more cleanly to their current configuration, but that’s a short-sighted decision with long-term ramifications.

Players with Malonga’s physical tools, movement skills, driving creation and defensive versatility are blueprint modern centers. She has the chance to develop into a franchise-altering player, winning Defensive Player of the Year trophies and thriving as an offensive centerpiece.

Malonga, at her best, unlocks everything on the court. Her defensive shapeshifting lets her teammates fit into whichever role they thrive in, and her creation and play finishing help her scale on and off of the ball. She’s a special, singular prospect with a ceiling worthy of a top draft pick.