Heading into their match against the Chicago Sky, the Seattle Storm knew they needed someone who could bring the same physicality the Sky are known for. It felt like the perfect moment for Dominique Malonga to step up. This was a chance for the number 2 overall pick to show the world why she was drafted so high. But sometimes, the basketball gods work in mysterious ways.

Malonga came out firing, knocking down back-to-back buckets and going 3-for-5 from the field to score 6 points. She also made history, becoming the youngest player in WNBA history to reach 100 career points at just 19 years and 250 days old. She was in red-hot form before things went south.

With 7:22 left in the second quarter, Dominique Malonga was defending Kamilla Cardoso during a Chicago possession when she appeared to twist her left ankle and went down clutching it. A scary moment for the Storm. While the team hasn’t released an official update yet, fans will be hoping it’s nothing serious. The good news? Malonga was able to walk off the court on her own and make her way to the bench.

Luckily, the injury wasn’t serious! Malonga sat out the rest of the second quarter but made a return in the second half! Her return was definitely important as the Storm would go on to outscore the Chicago Sky by 14 points in the 3rd quarter.

Malonga went on to post a career-high 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists while shooting 66.7% from the field, as the Seattle Storm cruised past the Sky with a dominant 95-57 win. Sure, the Windy City franchise were missing key players like Reese and Atkins, but that doesn’t take away from the 19-year-old’s standout performance!

Once again, the French international gave us a glimpse of what the future might look like. Her rookie season might not be making headlines just yet, but the Storm are doing the right thing here!

A rookie season going according to plan for Dominique Malonga

“The female version of Victor Wembanyama” is how Tony Parker would describe Dominique, and her first half of the season did give us a glimpse of that. Coming off the bench, Malonga has averaged just 9 minutes per game this season, putting up 4.1 points and 2.9 rebounds. Not eye-popping numbers, right? But the Storm here are playing the long game!

Unlike most rookies who enter the league at 22, Malonga got a head start. As a French international, she was eligible to join the WNBA at just 19 , which naturally meant she came in a bit raw compared to others. But that also gives her three extra years to develop within the league, a luxury not many have. The Storm clearly see the long-term potential in the center and are committed to unlocking it.

Apart from the Sky game, Malonga also impressed against the Connecticut Sun! She played a career-high 20 minutes and made the most of the opportunity, scoring 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting and grabbing 5 rebounds. She has already shown that when she is given minutes to play, she will perform. The way she is performing right now despite the limited minutes… you can’t help but wonder what things will be like when she eventually becomes a starter down the line! The future is bright for the Storm!