Dominique Malonga (basketball)

Malonga was born in Yaoundé, and is the daughter of Thalance Malonga and Agathe N'Nindjem-Yolemp.^[1] Both of her parents are former basketball players, while her father is currently a doctor.^[2][3]

On 30 June 2021, Malonga signed with ASVEL Féminin of the Ligue Féminine de Basketball (LFB).^[4] At age 16 she went viral for dunking.^[5][6] During the 2021–22 season, in her first season with the club, she averaged six points and five rebounds in seven games.^[7] During the 2022–23 season she missed six weeks due to injury and averaged 6.4 points and 3.3 rebounds in seven games.^[8]

On 17 August 2023, she was loaned to Tarbes Gespe Bigorre of the LFB for the 2023–24 season.^[9] During her first season with Tarbes Gespe Bigorre she averaged 11.9 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 25 games.^[10]

Malonga returned to ASVEL for the 2024–25 season. On 31 October 2024, in a 115–54 win over Apollon Limassol in the 2024–25 EuroCup, Malonga made a dunk and was initially believed to be the first French woman to dunk in an official game.^[11][12] It was later reported—and eventually confirmed through video footage—that 17-year-old Alicia Tournebize had accomplished the feat a few weeks earlier in a French fourth division game.^[13][14]

In March 2025, Malonga signed with Fenerbahçe of the Turkish Super League.^[15] Malonga missed the start of the 2025–26 season, and in October 2025 she announced that she had not yet traveled to Turkey due to wrist surgery for an injury she sustained toward the end of the 2025 WNBA season.^[16] On 20 October 2025, the team announced that Malonga had unilaterally terminated her contract without a just cause.^[17]

On 14 April 2025, Malonga was drafted second overall by the Seattle Storm in the 2025 WNBA draft.^[18] She made her debut on 17 May in a 59–81 loss to the Phoenix Mercury, scoring 2 points in 9 minutes off the bench. With that appearance, she became the youngest player in Storm history and the third-youngest in WNBA history to play in a game, at 19 years and 184 days old.^[19][20] Malonga averaged only 8.8 minutes over the first 22 games of the season before the All-Star break, but her role expanded significantly as the season progressed. In the 20 games following the break, she averaged 11.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 20.3 minutes per game.^[21] On 25 July, in a 95–57 win over the Chicago Sky, Malonga recorded 14 points and 10 rebounds and became the youngest player ever (19 years and 250 days) to post a double-double and to reach the century mark for points.^[22] On 8 August, in an 86–90 loss to the Las Vegas Aces, Malonga scored 22 points and 12 rebounds (both career highs) in 24 minutes off the bench.^[23]

The Storm finished the regular season in 7th place and faced the second-seeded Aces in the playoffs. In Game 1, a 77–102 loss, Malonga recorded 12 points and 11 rebounds in 23 minutes, becoming the second-youngest player to make her WNBA postseason debut.^[24] In Game 2, an 86–83 win, she posted another double-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks in 22 minutes, including a game-deciding three-point play with 31 seconds remaining.^[25] The Storm ultimately lost the winner-take-all Game 3, ending their playoff run. After the season, Malonga was named to the All-Rookie Team.^[26]

On 5 November 2025, Malonga was drafted by Breeze BC for the 2026 Unrivaled season.^[27]

Malonga made her international debut for France at the 2021 FIBA U16 European Challengers where she averaged 19.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 2.8 blocks per game to help France qualify for the 2022 FIBA Under-17 World Cup.^[28]

During the 2022 FIBA Under-17 World Cup she averaged a double-double of 18 points and ten rebounds per game and helped France win a bronze medal. During the bronze medal game against Canada she scored 28 points and 17 rebounds. Following the tournament she was named to the all-tournament team.^[29] She finished the tournament with the best efficiency rating of 22.4, ranked second in scoring and fourth in rebounds.^[30]

During the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament she averaged nine points and 3.3 rebounds in three games, as France finished the tournament undefeated.^[31] On 8 June 2024, she was named to France's roster to compete at the 2024 Summer Olympics. At 18 years old, she was the youngest member on the team.^[32][33] During the Olympic tournament, Malonga played in all three group games and the gold medal game. She averaged 7.1 minutes, 2.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game as the French team won a silver medal.^[34]

On 12 May 2025, Malonga announced that she would not participate in EuroBasket 2025, choosing instead to focus on her rookie WNBA season.^[35]

Malonga returned to the team for the 2026 FIBA World Cup Qualifying Tournament. On 11 March 2026, in a 115–66 win over the Philippines, she became the first woman to dunk for France at senior level.^[36]

Stats current as of end of 2025 season