Dominique Malonga, the 6-foot-6 French center taken second overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft by the Seattle Storm, says she’s ready to represent European basketball on one of the sport’s biggest stages.

“I’m really, really excited to step on the court in the W and to show that European basketball is something, too, and I can come here and showcase my talent,” Malonga said following her selection on Monday night, as reported by Teresa M. Walker of the Associated Press.

Malonga, 19, enters the league with a growing international résumé, having averaged 15 points and 10.3 rebounds this season for Lyon. She also made headlines as the first French woman to dunk in a game and was a key contributor on France’s silver-medal Olympic team, where she faced off against top WNBA talent during tightly contested FIBA matchups.

“You all watched it and you could see that the games were — every game was tight. We could see great players that evolve in this league, so of course it was like high-level teams,” Malonga said. “Every minute that I spent on the court there, I know that I learned something and that I improved on my game. Yeah, FIBA basketball is something today, and I think that it really helped me to be ready for the league.”

Dominique Malonga set to show Storm ‘great' French basketball

France center Dominique Malonga (14) goes to the basket against Canada during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
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Malonga’s draft night also marked a broader milestone for French basketball, as she and fellow draftee Adja Kane continued the nation’s rising profile on the global stage.

“It just shows that French basketball is great,” Malonga said. “And now with the women, so me, it just shows that it’s not only men French players, it’s also women.”

Now headed to Seattle, Malonga joins a veteran Storm team that includes former MVP Nneka Ogwumike, three-time champion Alysha Clark, and All-WNBA guard Skylar Diggins-Smith. Seattle finished 25-15 last season and will be looking to integrate the teenager into an experienced rotation.

Off the court, Malonga said she’s also motivated by the opportunity to represent her roots in Cameroon and Congo and to take the next step in her journey while settling into a new country.

“I am so proud to achieve that goal,” she said, “because it just shows that French basketball has evolved.”