New season. Revamped teams. New challengers and, to add to it, new players through the WNBA Draft. It’s all set, grab your popcorn as the 2025 season is going to be even bigger, better and exciting with the quality of players listed in the draft. Yes, a few big names opted out, but that didn’t fade away the glitter, rather added mystery to the draft and gave birth to new storylines.
Yes, every season, every draft has its ‘highlight’ story. One that keeps fans intrigued and glued to social media, news portals, and TV sets to find out more about it. Raising questions, defining the future and spicing up the season – each story has its say and a worth every season, sometimes stretching for more than one season. National analyst Sabreena Merchant sheds light on this season’s draft’s possible storyline, and many might not like it.
Looking at the current draft prospects, Sabreena Merchant speculates that it’s going to be an international-heavy draft. “Like if Dominique Malonga emerges as the best player in this draft, which is a big if, considering how incredible of a prospect Paige Bueckers is.” She said on the ‘No Offseason: The Athletic Women’s Basketball Show’ Podcast. “Like it would probably be the first time in what the last, I don’t even know how many years that an international has been the best player in a draft.”
Is she trying to put Malonga over Paige in the Rookie of the Year discussion already? Paige, fresh from winning the national championship and projected top pick in the 2025 WNBA draft, is expected to play for the Dallas Wings. Forming a lethal backcourt pairing with Arike Ogunbowale, Paige will be aiming to make an impact on the WNBA right from the start. At 6 feet, Paige’s a wizard on the court—dishing out 4.6 assists a night and knocking down 41.9% from deep in her final UConn run. Those numbers? They scream instant star power.
But will Malonga steal the thunder?
The French star has high potential to be a significant contributor to the games. She is even considered a ‘steal of the draft’. At 6’6”, Dominique’s a rare talent—dunking with ease, switching onto guards, and splashing 41.7% of her threes in France’s top league, where she’s averaged 15 points and 10.3 boards. She can influence the game in many ways – maybe even more than Paige, with her size and defensive capabilities. If she lands with a team like the Seattle Storm—who could use more muscle next to Ezi Magbegor—her impact could be instant.
But putting her ahead of the UConn star will raise many eyebrows for sure. And if this happens, it will certainly be a season to remember.
Dominique MALONGA France Women basketball, France vs Nigeria, Women s preliminary round during the Olympic Games, Olympische Spiele, Olympia, OS Paris 2024 – photo Laurent Sanson / DPPI / Panoramic JO 2024 : BASKET BALL – France vs Nigeria – Jeux Olympiques 2024 – Paris2024 – Lille – 01/08/2024 DPPI/Panoramic PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRAxBEL
Paige has experience playing in the States. That too against most of the players in the WNBA, in NCAA tournaments and other events. Malonga, on the other hand, played in the French league, with less exposure to WNBA plays. At just 19, she’s already held her own against veterans, dunking at the Olympics and shining as France’s youngest player.
Merchant also highlighted that such things have never happened before.
“And like the WNBA just doesn’t usually have players like that.” She said, “The international players are complimentary players. You know, they fit in around the domestic stars. So, if this draft is able to produce like an international star, I think that would be an incredible story.”
Yes, international players frequently join the league via the WNBA draft. In fact, many WNBA teams include foreign players on their rosters. Brazilian star Kamilla Cardoso, Croatian player Nika Muhl, and Japanese guard Rui Machida even transitioned from playing in the NCAA women’s basketball to joining the WNBA. Yet, they couldn’t challenge for the massive individual accolade.
This year, though, it’s not just Malonga. Lithuania’s Justė Jocytė, a 6’2” guard with a knack for pick-and-rolls, and Slovenia’s Ajša Sivka, a sharpshooting wing, could make this draft a global game-changer.
This history only gave birth to a trend of the international players just being an afterthought in the WNBA. If Dominique Malonga could break the stereotype and challenge Paige Bueckers for the ‘Star of 2025 WNBA draft’ title, irrespective of the pick, it could be another massive shift for the WNBA. More importantly, when the league is trying to close the gap between them and its male counterpart, the NBA.
Is the WNBA on the verge of reaching NBA level?
The league is on the rise. There is no question about it. The number says it all. Various broadcasters reported a 170% increase in viewership for their WNBA coverage, with games averaging 1.19 million viewers. WNBA attendance increased by 48% compared to the previous season, with over 2.3 million fans attending regular-season games. The WNBA received unprecedented media attention, with news coverage spiking in various publications, including sports and lifestyle outlets.
Still, the gap is enormous. But, WNBA, once considered as going south with less number of followers, is catching up. Rather, in 2024, it became the fastest-growing brand in professional sports. Talking about the creativity and gameplay? The viewership rise is only because of the improvement in those areas. Fans are filling up the arenas to watch exciting games with skilled players.
Now, if we add international talent like Dominique Malonga, who, as per Sabreena, will be the best in the class of 2025, the WNBA will have another parallel to the NBA. The Men’s League had many decorated international players, taking the league’s popularity and standards to the next level. Even in today’s rankings, the top 10 NBA players consist of three foreigners, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic.
So, if Malonga can pull off a similar feat or even reach the level of her fellow countryman, Victor Wembanyama (who also has a very high ceiling) WNBA will benefit from it, attracting new avenues and fanbase. Fans will not have to wait long to see how the events unfold as the draft is on April 14 and the season will tip off from May 19. Don’t forget to fasten your seatbelts.
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