She just etched her name into the history books!
At only 19 years old, Dominique Malonga, a Cameroonian-born, French-raised phenom, became the youngest player ever drafted into the WNBA, selected second overall by the Seattle Storm in the 2025 WNBA Draft, The Seattle Times reports. With that moment, she didn’t just make history — she sent a message to the world: the future of basketball is global, versatile, and unapologetically Black and brilliant.
Malonga, standing tall at 6-foot-6, was one of the most intriguing international prospects in years. A viral sensation at 16 after videos surfaced of her dunking with ease in practice, she continued to build on that momentum, becoming the first Frenchwoman to dunk in a professional game last October. Now, she joins an elite club of foreign-born top picks in WNBA history, alongside legends like Lauren Jackson and Liz Cambage.
Her journey to the league began in Yaoundé, Cameroon, where her love for the game first took root. She went pro at 15 and joined French basketball legend Tony Parker’s club, ASVEL Féminin, where Parker dubbed her the “Female Wemby,” a nod to fellow French professional basketball player Victor Wembanyama. The comparison isn’t far-fetched — like Wembanyama, Malonga is a once-in-a-generation talent whose game defies convention.
This season, she averaged 15.4 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while developing a reliable perimeter shot. In the EuroCup Women’s tournament, she led her team in scoring with 18.5 points and 11 rebounds per game — dominant numbers for a player who hasn’t even turned 20.
“She’s a unicorn,” Storm head coach Noelle Quinn said. “She is one of one in my opinion. Her ability to do multiple things on a basketball court, guard multiple positions — whether it is the five or the four — her versatility lends to a successful career in our league.”
Dressed in a crisp black tuxedo and white shirt, Malonga lit up The Shed in New York City on draft night, not just with her fit but with the pride she carried as a representative of French basketball and her family. Upon hearing her name, she immediately turned to embrace her mother — a gesture that underscored who she’s doing it for.
“She is one of the most important people in my life. She is one of the reason[s] that I’m here today,” Malonga said tearfully. “And of course, my family, my dad, my brothers and my sister — they are everything to me… They’re my motivation every day.”
For the Storm, Malonga is their highest draft pick since selecting Breanna Stewart No. 1 in 2016, a sign that they’re betting big on her potential to shape the franchise’s future. And while she will return to France to finish out her current season — with EuroLeague quarterfinals just around the corner — the Storm are clear: she’s worth the wait.
Malonga’s selection not only represents a new chapter for the Storm but also a breakthrough moment for international women’s basketball. As she said herself, “It just shows that it’s not only men French players — it’s always also women. It’s just French basketball in general. And I’m so proud just to show that today, French basketball is at the level that we have never seen.”
And Dominique Malonga is leading the charge — dunk by dunk, dream by dream.
Cover photo: 19-Year-Old Dominique Malonga Makes History as the Youngest Player Ever Drafted to the WNBA/(l to r) Dominique Malonga poses with WNBA Commissioner during 2025 WNBA Draft/Photo credit: Pamela Smith/The Associated Press