Dominique Malonga (basketball)
{{short description|French basketball player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Dominique Malonga
| image = Baxi Ferrol - LDLC ASVEL Féminin 90.jpg
| caption = Malonga in 2025
| image_size =
| number = 14
| position = Forward-center
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 6
| weight_lb =
| league = WNBA
| team = Seattle Storm
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2005|11|16|df=y}}
| birth_place = Yaoundé, Cameroon
| high_school =
| college =
| career_start = 2021
| years1 = 2021–2025
| team1 = ASVEL Féminin
| years2 = 2023–2024
| team2 = →Tarbes GB (loan)
| years3 = {{WNBA Year|2025}}–present
| team3 = Seattle Storm
| draft_league = WNBA
| draft_year = 2025
| draft_round = 1
| draft_pick = 2
| draft_team = Seattle Storm
| highlights =
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport|Women's basketball}}
{{MedalCountry| {{bkw|France}}}}
{{MedalOlympic}}
{{MedalSilver|2024 Paris|Team}}
{{MedalCompetition|FIBA Under-17 World Cup}}
{{MedalBronze|2022 Hungary|Team}}
}}
Dominique Malonga (born 16 November 2005) is a French professional basketball player for the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and a member of the France women's national basketball team. She previously played for ASVEL Féminin of the Ligue Féminine de Basketball (LFB). Malonga was the youngest member of the French team at the 2024 Summer Olympics and won a silver medal.
Early life
Malonga was born in Yaoundé, and is the daughter of Thalance Malonga and Agathe N'Nindjem-Yolemp.{{cite web |url=https://actu.fr/normandie/flers_61169/dominique-malonga-prodige-du-basketball-revient-en-famille-a-flers_59904876.html |title=Dominique Malonga, prodige du basketball, revient en famille à Flers |website=actu.fr |first=Nicolas |last=Segura |date=30 July 2023 |access-date=22 July 2024 |language=fr}} Both of her parents are former basketball players, while her father is currently a doctor.{{cite web |url=https://www.lequotidiendusport.fr/dominique-malonga-asvel-les-attentes-autour-de-moi-me-motivent/ |title=Dominique Malonga (ASVEL) : " Les attentes autour de moi me motivent " |website=lequotidiendusport.fr |first=Jean-Marc |last=Azzola |date=9 May 2022 |access-date=22 July 2024 |language=fr}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/normandie/flers-61100/flers-deux-delegations-africaines-un-tournoi-de-basket-6629501 |title=Flers. Deux délégations africaines à un tournoi de basket |newspaper=Ouest-France |date=28 November 2019 |access-date=22 July 2024 |language=fr}}
Playing career
On 30 June 2021, Malonga signed with ASVEL Féminin of the LFB.{{cite web |url=https://ldlcasvelfeminin.com/dominique-malonga-nouvelle-lionne/ |title=Dominique Malonga, nouvelle Lionne |website=ldlcasvelfeminin.com |date=30 June 2021 |access-date=22 July 2024 |language=fr}} ASVEL Féminin president Tony Parker called her the female Victor Wembanyama.{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/16-old-french-girls-basketball-002008159.html |title=16-year-old French girls basketball player Dominique Malonga goes viral dunking |website=Yahoo! Sports |first=Logan |last=Newman |date=21 October 2022 |access-date=22 July 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/womens-olympic-basketball-tournament-paris-2024/news/six-rising-stars-ready-to-shine-at-paris-2024 |title=Six rising stars ready to shine at Paris 2024 |website=fiba.basketball |date=15 July 2024 |access-date=22 July 2024}} During the 2021–22 season, in her first season with the club, she averaged six points and five rebounds in seven games.{{cite web|url=https://www.fiba.basketball/news/malonga-head-and-shoulders-above-the-top-5-girls-campers-at-bwb-europe |title=Malonga head and shoulders above the Top 5 girls campers at BWB Europe |website=fiba.basketball |date=17 June 2022 |access-date=22 July 2024}} During the 2022–23 season she missed six weeks due to injury and averaged 6.4 points and 3.3 rebounds in seven games.{{cite web |url=https://ldlcasvelfeminin.com/six-semaines-dabsence-pour-dominique-malonga/ |title=Six semaines d'absence pour Dominique MALONGA |website=ldlcasvelfeminin.com |date=8 February 2023 |access-date=22 July 2024 |language=fr}}
On 17 August 2023, she was loaned to Tarbes Gespe Bigorre of the LFB for the 2023–24 season.{{cite web |url=https://ldlcasvelfeminin.com/dominique-malonga-pretee-a-tarbes-saison-2023-2024/ |title=Dominique Malonga prêtée à Tarbes pour la saison 2023-2024 |website=ldlcasvelfeminin.com |date=17 August 2023 |access-date=22 July 2024 |language=fr}} During her first season with Tarbes Gespe Bigorre she averaged 11.9 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 25 games.{{cite web |url=https://ldlcasvelfeminin.com/dominique-malonga-sacree-meilleure-jeune-championnat/ |title=Dominique Malonga sacrée meilleure jeune du championnat |website=ldlcasvelfeminin.com |date=11 April 2024 |access-date=22 July 2024 |language=fr}}
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 Women, Malonga made a dunk and was initially believed to be the first Frenchwoman to dunk in an official game.{{Cite news |date=2024-11-01 |title=Dominique Malonga, the first Frenchwoman to dunk in a match |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/en/sports/article/2024/11/01/dominique-malonga-the-first-french-woman-to-dunk-in-a-match_6731190_9.html |access-date=2024-11-12 |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Teenage sensation Malonga throws down historic dunk |url=https://www.fiba.basketball/en/news/teenage-sensation-malonga-throws-down-a-dunk |date=31 October 2024 |access-date=12 November 2024 |website=fiba.basketball |language=en}} However, it was later reported—and eventually confirmed through video footage—that 17-year-old {{ill|Alicia Tournebize|fr}} had accomplished the feat a few weeks earlier in a French fourth division game.{{Cite web |date=2025-02-17 |title=French teenager Tournebize throws down another dunk |url=https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-u19-womens-basketball-world-cup-2025/news/french-teenager-tournebize-throws-down-another-dunk |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=www.fiba.basketball |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Alicia Tournebize a bien dunké avant Dominique Malonga, la preuve en vidéo |url=https://www.lequipe.fr/Basket/Actualites/Alicia-tournebize-a-bien-dunke-avant-dominique-malonga-la-preuve-en-video/1546980 |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=L'Équipe |language=fr}}
On 14 April 2025, Malonga was drafted second overall by the Seattle Storm in the 2025 WNBA draft.{{cite web |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/storm/storm-take-dominique-malonga-with-no-2-pick-in-wnba-draft/ |title= Storm take Dominique Malonga with No. 2 pick in WNBA draft |newspaper=The Seattle Times |first=Percy |last=Allen |date=14 April 2025 |access-date=15 April 2025}}
National team career
Malonga made her international debut for France at the 2021 FIBA U16 Women's 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 Women's Basketball World Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.fiba.basketball/europe/challengers/u16women/2021/news/the-standout-players-from-the-fiba-u16-women-s-european-challengers |title=The standout players from the FIBA U16 Women's European Challengers |website=fiba.basketball |date=17 August 2021 |access-date=22 July 2024}}
During the 2022 FIBA Under-17 Women's Basketball World Cup she averaged a double-double of 18 points and ten rebounds per game and helped France win a bronze medal.{{cite web |url=https://ldlcasvelfeminin.com/bleues-u17-bronze/ |title=Les Bleues U17 en bronze, Dominique dans le 5 majeur ! |website=ldlcasvelfeminin.com |date=17 July 2022 |access-date=22 July 2024 |language=fr}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.fiba.basketball/world/u17women/2022/news/watkins-named-tissot-mvp-to-lead-all-star-five-in-debrecen |title=Watkins named TISSOT MVP, leads All-Star Five |website=fiba.basketball |date=18 July 2022 |access-date=22 July 2024}} She finished the tournament with the best efficiency rating of 22.4, ranked second in scoring and fourth in rebounds.{{cite web|url=https://www.fiba.basketball/news/who-is-dominique-malonga-the-16-year-old-dunking-sensation |title=Who is the 16-year-old dunking sensation Dominique Malonga? |website=fiba.basketball |date=21 October 2022 |access-date=22 July 2024}}
During the 2024 FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament she averaged nine points and 3.3 rebounds in three games, as France finished the tournament undefeated.{{cite web|url=https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/womens-olympic-basketball-tournament-paris-2024/news/team-profile-will-france-deliver-a-fairytale-in-front-of-their-fans |title=Team Profile: Will France deliver a fairytale in front of their fans? |website=fiba.basketball |date=20 July 2024 |access-date=22 July 2024}} 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.{{cite web |url=https://www.ffbb.com/equipe-de-france-masculine/les-12-bleus-retenus-pour-paris-2024 |title=Les 12 Bleus retenus pour Paris 2024 |website=ffbb.com |date=8 June 2024 |access-date=22 July 2024 |language=fr}}{{cite web|url=https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/womens-olympic-basketball-tournament-paris-2024/news/teenage-malonga-breathes-fire-for-france |title=Teenage Malonga breathes fire for France |website=fiba.basketball |date=2 July 2024 |access-date=22 July 2024}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Dominique Malonga - France - Stats, News, Photos & Videos - Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament Paris 2024 {{!}} FIBA.basketball |url=https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/womens-olympic-basketball-tournament-paris-2024/teams/france/298012-dominique-malonga |access-date=2024-11-12 |website=www.fiba.basketball |language=en}}
Orders
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{FIBA|new_id=298012|name=Dominique Malonga}}
- [https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/athlete/dominique-malonga_1573451 Dominique Malonga] at the 2024 Summer Olympics
{{Seattle Storm current roster}}
{{France Women Basketball Squad 2024 Summer Olympics}}
{{2025 WNBA draft}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Malonga, Dominique}}
Category:Sportspeople from Yaoundé
Category:France women's national basketball team players
Category:French women's basketball players
Category:Cameroonian women's basketball players
Category:Cameroonian emigrants to France
Category:French sportspeople of Cameroonian descent
Category:Tarbes Gespe Bigorre players
Category:Basketball players at the 2024 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic basketball players for France
Category:Medalists at the 2024 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic silver medalists for France
Category:Olympic medalists in basketball