Slow and steady wins the race, and Dominique Malonga could be the prime example of this proverb. The forward is now the prime candidate for a special award in her rookie season. While Candace Parker named Paige Bueckers for the Rookie of the Year accolade, the French youngster would grab a status beyond rookie.
Close to wrapping up the regular season, the Seattle Storm put forward possible accolades that its talented rookie could win following her incredible debut season.
Dominique Malonga’s Sensational Rookie Season
The Storm rookie was the second overall pick in the 2025 WNBA draft, and with her stacked resume, many expected her to quickly move into the starting lineup. But she has yet to start a game for the franchise, and has played all 37 games off the bench so far. Coach Noelle Quinn gave her time to adjust to the WNBA pace and style of play and gradually increased her gametime.
Starting her WNBA career with a five-minute per-game average, the forward slowly became a regular in the team rotation and is now clocking over 20 minutes per game. HC Quinn emphasized Malonga’s overall development and used her as a multidimensional player in games. As a rookie, Malonga achieved a rare record in Seattle Storm history with back-to-back 20-point and 10-rebound games and continued to impress fans with her gameplay.
Considering these factors, the Storm social media team put forward two categories where the star would earn an accolade: All-Rookie first team and Sixth Player of the Year. While the 19-year-old could be an obvious choice for the All-Rookie team along with Paige Bueckers, Kiki Iriafen, and Sonia Citron, the Sixth Player of the Year accolade would be a massive coup for the youngster.
She is averaging around eight points, five rebounds, and an assist per game coming off the bench for the four-time champions. The star also tied for the third-most double-doubles off the bench by a player in a single season.
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This rook has no ceiling 🚀
— Seattle Storm (@seattlestorm) August 25, 2025
Dominique Malonga for Sixth Player of the Year and All-Rookie Team 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/eORNzYD4qn
Within the current front-runners like Kennedy Burke (New York Liberty), Jessica Shepard (Minnesota Lynx), and Naz Hamilton (Atlanta Dream), the 2025 rookie maintained a similar stateliness.
Dominique Malonga Could Be Next WNBA Superstar
During the 2025 WNBA draft, Malonga was one of the top contenders for the Rookie of the Year accolade. With her height, footwork, and reach, she was meant to dominate the court. But Quinn took a different approach, allowing her to develop first to the elite level, improving slowly on every aspect of the game. She is one of a few players in focus who played in all the games for her team.
“ 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 (is) going to continue to get better,” Quinn said during Malonga’s impressive play against the Aces.
Her development and consistency hint at a bright future for the star, and with age on her side, she could be one of the top-tier players in the league.