Storm’s Malonga makes first WNBA All-Star team
Published 10:10 am Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Dominique Malonga is underrated no longer.
The 20-year-old center from France, whom the Seattle Storm selected No. 2 overall in last year’s WNBA Draft, has broken out in year two to the tune of 15.9 points per game and 7.4 rebounds per contest. It’s all been part of her spike in minutes — up from 14.3 per game in her rookie year to 25.3 in year two.
Malonga spent her first season learning behind veteran All-Star talents like Nneka Ogwumike and Ezi Magbegor, putting up 7.7 points per game as she came off the bench in all 42 games. On Wednesday, Malonga found out her hard work and waiting had paid off with her first WNBA All-Star nod — putting her among a talented reserve pool featuring Atlanta’s Angel Reese and Phoenix’s Alyssa Thomas.
The WNBA All-Star Game will take place on Saturday, July 25 at the United Center in Chicago.
It hasn’t been the smoothest season for Malonga and the Storm, who sit at 6-17, seven games out of a playoff spot. But Malonga’s game, which showed in flashes last season, has come to life with a feature role in 2026.
Bolstered by two top-eight selections from this year’s draft in scoring guard Flau’jae Johnson and a versatile 6-foot-4 big in Awa Fam, Malonga has had the freedom to work in isolation and as a traditional big.
Standing at 6-foot-6 with a well-documented ability to dunk — Malonga does a rim grazer before every game — the French phenom has actually moved her game further out in 2026. 13% of Malonga’s field-goal attempts are coming from 3-point land, up from 6% a season ago.
She’s paying that increase in volume off with a meteoric rise in efficiency — Malonga is shooting a blistering 39.3% from distance as opposed to a below-average 22.2% from a season ago.
Her magnum opus this season, however, was a 37-point, 12-rebound gem in a June 22 overtime loss to Dallas. Malonga went 14-for-24, utilizing her signature turnaround jumper and size near the rim to keep pace with a strong Wings team.
“Whenever I’m aggressive, and I’m really really consistent in that aggressiveness, it’s just working,” Malonga said after her career night. “When I go to people’s chests, when I stay in the paint, when I grab rebounds… it just helps get me going.”
When veteran guard Zia Cooke was asked what was working so well on that 110-point night for Seattle, Cooke kept it simple.
“Finding Dom,” she said.
While her overall field-goal percentage is down from an uber-efficient 55.1% to 46.3%, it all appears to be part of the learning process as Malonga adjusts to being the focal point of opposing game plans.
She had the benefit of playing with four All-Stars last season, with Magbegor, Ogwumike, guard Skylar Diggins and versatile wing Gabby Williams. Magbegor, more of a defensive center than anything, is the only star remaining and has dealt with a lingering foot injury all season. Needless to say, there are fewer easy buckets for Malonga to come by this year.
Though the playoffs appear to be a long shot 23 games into this 44-game campaign, the lack of veteran star power has also allowed Fam and Johnson to display breakout potential.
Fam, who joined the team late from Spain, is shooting 51% from the field and nearly 40% from 3-point land en route to 11.7 PPG, while Johnson is nearly averaging 13 PPG on a less efficient 37.3% from the field.
With another top pick brewing and plenty of cap flexibility thanks to the amount of cheaper young talent on the Storm’s roster, the Storm could be competitive in a parity-filled league as early as next season with Johnson and Fam looking to follow Malonga’s jump.
