Nineteen-year-old Dominique Malonga is set to burst onto the WNBA scene this season and potentialy change the shape of the league — literally.
A 6'6," Malonga is the first French woman to dunk in a game, something she did for the first time in 2022. She's averaging 15.3 points and 9.5 rebounds for LDLC ASVEL Féminin in France and is a dynamic drive and fast for her size, she's explosive and smart, and in a game that's increasingly more focused on 3-point shooting, she has the skills to adapt to a changing center role.
A profile of Malonga published by The Ringer on March 7 notes that these days, "centers have to be efficient and make decisions with the ball in their hands. They have to be able to guard their position and thrive defending in multiple pick-and-roll coverages. They have to be a deterrent at the rim ... In short, they need to look more like Malonga."
The Golden State Valkyries should draft Dominique Malonga (if they can)
Malonga has long been a projected top 5 2025 WNBA Draft pick, which would put her within Golden State's grasp — if someone else doesn't scoop her up first. The problem is that it's very possible someone else will, in fact, scoop her up. Malonga is very much in demand.
Back in December, we wrote that Malonga needs to improve her screening angles and hand-eye coordination, and it's becoming clear that she's been working on both. Her fluidity, always at a level of note, remains as remarkable as ever. At this point, the biggest thing Malonga needs to focus on before the WNBA Draft is staying healthy and not getting injured.
At this point, the top spot in the draft still appears to belong to Paige Bueckers, which would land the UConn star in Dallas. The Storm have the second overall pick, followed by the Mystics — who have picks three and four. Though plenty of projections have the Storm adding powerhouse guard Olivia Miles to the team with their first-round selection, Malonga would be an excellent student for Ezi Magbegor, whose contract might be up by the time Malonga is ready to shine.
Of course, none of that helps the Valkyries, as the odds that Malonga could be drafted by the team at No. 5 appear to be slim. But never say never: adding Malonga to Golden State could end up being the biggest steal of the night.