At 15, Dominique Malonga wasn’t worrying about math homework — she was launching a pro career in France. Four years, one towering wingspan, and a whole lot of buzz later, she’s the 6’6 phenom the Seattle Storm snagged with the No. 2 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. It’s no wonder the Seattle Storm saw a future cornerstone. But as the season creeps closer, so does the reality: the leap from Europe to the W isn’t easy. And fans are starting to feel it too.
On Sunday, training camps opened across the WNBA, with rookies like Paige Bueckers and Makayla Timpson already out on the floor, building chemistry with their new squads. Naturally, fans expected the same from Malonga. But three days in, there’s still no sign of her??
According to an eyewitness, Malonga was spotted in the audience at a game, but not on the court. And ESPN’s Kevin Pelton confirmed the suspicion: the 19-year-old center missed Seattle’s first practice, and there’s currently no timetable for her arrival.
soooo Malonga not reporting to training camp or??? pic.twitter.com/rgsq6eGNtl
— correlation (@nosyone4) April 29, 2025
For some, this might seem like no big deal. But for Storm fans and analysts alike, it feels like a missed opportunity. She was set to reunite with Gabby Williams, her teammate on the French national team. Veterans like Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins-Smith, and Ezi Magbegor could have been the ideal mentors, sharing everything from fire to quiet wisdom about navigating life and basketball far from home.
But, now nothing as such is expected as uncertainty looms. And fans are not staying quiet.
Fans are scratching their heads in confusion
As always, WNBA fans didn’t waste a second diving into the comment section. “Hmmmm. Holding herself out until after the Euro tournament?” one user speculated, adding fuel to the growing curiosity around Dominique Malonga’s absence from Seattle Storm’s training camp.
Well, there have been instances where W’s player have delayed joining their teams to fulfill commitments with European clubs or national teams. For example, in 2015, several players, including Allie Quigley, Epiphanny Prince, Kristi Toliver, Shavonte Zellous, Celine Dumerc, and Anna Cruz, missed the start of the WNBA season to participate in the EuroBasket tournament. In fact, it has happened with Gabby Williams in 2023, who played in the French LFB finals, which overlapped with the WNBA season. So, considering that it might happen with Malonga, too, is a fair concern.
One fan shared what many were looking for: “Here’s a tt that said Quinn will make an announcement on her status “later this week”
Well, head coach Noelle Quinn had stepped in to cool things down with a brief but reassuring update. “We’re in communication with her,” Quinn said. “We’ll get some updates this week.” She suggested that Malonga may choose to remain in Europe for the time being.
There could be a few reasons behind Dominique Malonga’s delayed arrival, and most of them make a lot of sense. For starters, she’s just wrapped up a season overseas, and staying in Europe a bit longer might give her a chance to catch her breath, regroup, and continue developing in a familiar environment. But with the league’s prioritization rule now in play, timing matters more than ever. As a rookie, Malonga is exempt from this rule. However, her agent, Boris Lelchitski, told Front Office Sports, “At the end of the day, prioritization has to change,” indicating tension around scheduling conflicts, though he had also confirmed Malonga’s plans to play in the WNBA in 2025. As one user pointed out, “Nope she’s reporting. Her season ended less than a week ago.”
“I thought you have to be at least 22 yrs old to play in the W. Am I wrong? Honest question” penned another User. And yes, WNBA has specific age and eligibility requirements for draft entrants, but these differ between domestic and international players.
According to these rules, players must be at least 22 years of age during the calendar year of the draft, or they must have completed their college eligibility. But all these requirements are for US-based players. Simply put, Dominique is eligible under international player criteria.
This means she’ll be returning. So, while the tension is quite obvious, let’s not forget—Malonga already signed her rookie contract on April 18. That move alone signals her commitment. So, if anything, she’s just recharging before making her big splash in Seattle.
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