The Seattle Storm and the Las Vegas Aces needed a win to put themselves in a strong position for playoff qualification. The game at Michelob Arena was tight, with Strom coming back from a 19-point deficit to make it a close fourth-quarter matchup.
One player who shone in this comeback on both ends of the floor was Dominique Malonga. The French youngster stole the show with career-high points in the game. Even in the loss, both coaches praised the future of the WNBA.
Dominique Malonga Shines Against Aces
It might not be a ‘big bang’ rookie season from the French superstar, but the growth is steady and constructive. HC Noelle Quinn is working to make her a dependable and decisive player on the court. Drafted 2nd overall in the 2025 WNBA draft, the foreign player started off slowly, even sat out for a whole game, learning and grasping from the vets.
But against the Aces, the 6-foot-6 star got a chance to shine and showcase her development against MVP A’ja Wilson. She scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in a close game against the 2023 champions. When asked about her improvement, HC Quinn was happy with the progress.
“It was a process and, you know, she understood that process. We did as a group as well. Learning the league, learning how she can find ways to play well, play within ourselves, within our system and what we want to do defensively. Defending multiple positions from posts to guards. That just takes some time and I think she’s put the work in on court film sessions to really understand what we need from her and she’s grown up right before our eyes and going to continue to get better,” HC said, praising the youngster (Via YT/TheBallerMagazine).
The player herself was happy with the performance and her growth. She answered similar question, thanking the coaches and teammates putting trust in her.
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The star scored 10 points in the close fourth quarter. She even held A’ja Wilson to just five points with her defensive plays. Coach Quinn looked excited watching her every play with the step-backs, layups, and positioning right on spot throughout the game. Clocking a season high of 25 minutes, the star even put the team close to a win. Even though she is not leading rookies in many stats, her development and form are certainly eye-opening for the league.
Dominique Malonga Developing In Elite Star
The player might have had a slow start, but her numbers are improving along the stat board. She already set a record for the youngest WNBA player to score a double-double in July with 14 points and 10 rebounds. And now she is improving on those numbers too. She was also the youngest player to reach 100 points mark, achieving the record in her 24th game at the age 19.
“It’s going very well here. I’m working a lot. I have a lot of people behind me just to help me grow here in this new country. Everything is new for me here, and they are just so helpful here. It’s just, as she said, I have no pressure here. I’m just here to work, and I contribute to the team as much as I can. And I think that we find a good balance here, [between] me working and me performing on the court. So yeah, it’s just a great organization here to grow and to keep improving,” Dominique Malonga told ‘The Next’ in an interview.
The youngster, already compared with some of the top basketball talents, is making significant progress. The shot blocker is adjusting to the league’s physicality and pace. She is showing signs of becoming an elite star in the league. After a slow start, the team is currently in seventh position, looking to stay in postseason contention.