Seattle Storm forward Dominique Malonga fired up her teammates with a dunk during practice. The 6'6 19-year-old was the second pick in the WNBA Draft and projects to have an immediate impact at the next level. Malonga played the past season for Lyon, finishing the year with 15.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game. She was also the youngest member of a French national team that won a silver medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

The hype is real for the Storm's newest addition as the team traded their leading scorer from last season's team, Jewel Loyd, to move up to select Malonga. And Dominique is already getting her teammates excited in a latest clip posted by the franchise over social media.

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The Storm took a gamble in the blockbuster three-team involving Jewel Loyd. This franchise is coming off another playoff appearance, earning the No. 5 overall seed. While Seattle subsequently fell to the Las Vegas Aces in the first round, 2024 was an encouraging bounce-back year. In 2023, the organization was very much recovering from the retirement of legendary point guard Sue Bird and the departure of two-time WNBA Finals MVP Breanna Stewart. But in just a season, the franchise has righted the ship and seems to be trending in the right direction.

The majority of this roster is returning, aside from Loyd. It will just largely depend on how ready Malonga is to make an impact right away. Overall it might take a while to see whether this trade by the Storm ultimately pays off. But there are plenty of reasons for fans to be excited about the immediate and long-term future.