Skylar Diggins Spotlights 19-YO Teammate Who Erased Aces’ 97.5% Win Chance in Storm Comeback

The league is moving forward with its next-gen stars, and rookies like Paige Bueckers, Kiki Iriafen, and Sonia Citron stole headlines this season. Yet the Seattle Storm had a rising talent of their own. After a hot start of a 10-6 record, Seattle barely scraped into the playoffs following a brutal August skid of six straight losses. Adding to their issues were off-court dramas. Jewell Loyd’s trade request is tied to bullying concerns and Alysha Clark’s midseason clash over verbal altercations. Through it all, the Storm’s No. 2 draft pick rose to the moment in the playoffs. Yes, Dominique Malonga has arrived.

Entering as the seventh seed in the field of 8, they were set to face the Las Vegas Aces, who came in riding a 16-game winning streak. Unsurprisingly, Game 1 was a blowout, with the Aces cruising to a 102-77 victory. But all that was about to change once the series shifted to the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. The Storm clawed their way back from a 14-point Aces lead to steal an 86-83 victory, keeping their playoff hopes alive. A big part of that comeback came from a 19-year-old center from France.

Malonga quietly flew under the radar all season despite being the No. 2 pick in a stacked 2025 draft. Dominique Malonga’s layup-and-one with roughly 30 seconds left gave Seattle the lead, and Skylar Diggins’ clutch jumper sealed the game, crushing the Aces’ hopes of matching the Sparks’ 22-year-old record of 18 consecutive wins. Diggins was quick to give Malonga the spotlight for her late-game shot, saying:

“Nice catch and tough finish by her. I am really impressed by the free throw. It’s a big moment for a 19-year-old to have to go in there. We have been asking a lot from her all year. We always make fun, as she is the youngest player to do whatever in a game, but it is really historic what she has been doing at her age.”

Malonga started the season logging single-digit minutes, which kept her out of the rookie-of-the-year conversation alongside the likes of Paige Bueckers, Sonia Citron, and Kiki Iriafen. But as the season progressed, her playing time steadily increased, and she became a key contributor off the bench for the Seattle Storm. She finished the regular season, appearing in 42 games, averaging 14.3 minutes, 7.7 points, and 4.6 rebounds per game. However, it was in the playoffs—especially Game 2—where she truly made her mark.

Malonga put up an impressive stat line with 11 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks in just 23 minutes. But her impact went beyond the numbers—she was also tasked with guarding A’ja Wilson down the stretch. When Malonga re-entered the game with 6:04 left in the fourth quarter, the Aces held a 75-65 lead. From there, Seattle went on a sensational 21-8 run to seal the victory, and much of the credit goes to Malonga’s stellar play.

• 5:57: Blocked Jackie Young on a driving layup
• 5:01: Set up Erica Wheeler with an assist
• 4:29: Denied A’ja Wilson on a 10-foot shot attempt
• 3:03: Assisted Erica Wheeler on a three-pointer
• 2:13: Grabs an offensive rebound
• 1:01: Grabs a defensive rebound
• 0:31: Converted a layup plus free throw to give the Storm the lead

And Malonga shattered records along the way this postseason….

Seattle Storm’s next superstar Dominique Malonga might be the WNBA’s next face

Paige Bueckers may have taken home Rookie of the Year this season, but Malonga has quietly made her mark, especially in the playoffs. When the spotlight and added responsibility fell on her, she delivered. It wasn’t just Game 2 against the Aces where she shone—her performance in Game 1 was equally impressive. She posted a stat line of 12 points and 11 rebounds, all while breaking several records along the way.

• First teenager in WNBA playoff history to record a double-double (Polymarket Hoops)
• Second rookie in WNBA history to start their playoff career with back-to-back double-doubles (Polymarket Hoops)
• Youngest player in WNBA playoff history to hit a game-tying or go-ahead field goal in the final minute of the 4th quarter or overtime (ESPN W)

To put her impact into perspective, according to ESPN Analytics, the Aces had a 97.5% chance to win when Malonga checked into the game with around six minutes left on the clock last night. That’s exactly the kind of influence she had, changing the course of a near-certain outcome in Seattle’s favor.

It’ll be fascinating to see if the Seattle Storm can pull off the impossible and take Game 3 in Vegas. For that to happen, Malonga will need to step up once more and deliver in the clutch. Do you think the Storm can repeat the feat? Share your thoughts in the comments down below!