All eyes have been on Paige Bueckers ahead of this year’s WNBA Draft.
And while the UConn star was selected with the first overall pick by the Dallas Wings, it was who the Seattle Storm selected immediately after who has a chance at a bigger career.
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There is a new face in SeattleEnter Dominique Malonga.
Standing at 6-foot-6 tall, the center is already an Olympic silver medallist at 19 years old.
Malonga is regarded by many as a unicorn prospect who has played in France’s top professional women’s league since she was 15.
The teenager is currently averaging 15.4 points, 10.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists for Lyon Asvel Feminin.
MORE FROM BASKETBALLShe was the youngest player on France’s Olympic team at the Paris Games, and helped her country to the gold medal game, where they were beaten 67-66 by the United States.
While Malonga is perhaps not a household name on the same level as Bueckers, given she did not go to college in the US or feature in the Women’s NCAA Tournament, she has the potential to be just as good, if not better.
She’s a force down low, an effective finisher near the rim and moves extremely well for her size.
Last October, she made history by becoming the first Frenchwoman to dunk in a EuroCup game — aged just 18 — and is regarded as a player with an extraordinary ceiling.
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Malonga could rival Bueckers for the No. 1 pick, but is expected to go second overallCredit: Getty
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Some evaluators believe she could go on to be better than Bueckers in the WNBACredit: GettyAccording to The Athletic, there is a growing subset of talent evaluators who think she could eventually be better than Bueckers.
The Dallas Wings didn’t take the chance on Malonga with their No. 1 pick, opting for Bueckers.
That means the Storm were able to snag arguably the most talented player in the draft.
To perhaps further cement herself as the No. 2 pick, Malonga has long been compared to her French compatriot Wembanyama.
Four-time NBA champion Tony Parker first made the link back in 2021, citing similarities in size, athleticism and perimeter skills between the pair.
While she admitted being compared to the San Antonio Spurs All-Star is an ‘honor’, the teenager has made it clear she wants to forge her own path on the court.
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Malonga won a silver medal at the Olympics last summerCredit: AFP
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The French teenager has been compared to NBA All-Star WembanyamaCredit: Getty”Being compared to Victor is nice because he’s a great player,” Malonga, who boasts a remarkable 7-foot-1 wingspan, said in a recent interview.
“The things that he’s doing are so amazing, so of course being compared to him is an honor.
“But I want to make sure that I don’t lose my identity in that and I still have my game.
“When I’m on the court I play as Dominique Malonga, not as Victor.”
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There’s a new storm brewing in Seattle.
And she goes by the name of Dominique Malonga.
