‘Finding Dom’: Surging Malonga Has Storm Trending in Right Direction

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Seattle Storm forward Dominique Malonga (14) looks to find space in the Storm’s 112-110 overtime loss to the Dallas Wings on Tuesday, June 22, at Climate Pledge Arena. Credit: Courtesy of Seattle Storm [/caption]

With every game that passes during the Seattle Storm’s current 11-game losing streak, they’re turning in better and better performances. It still isn’t translating to wins.

But there’s a silver lining. The Storm drafted 2025 No. 2 overall pick Dominique Malonga at 19 years old, with hopes that she would become the franchise’s centerpiece and, eventually, lead them back to championship competitiveness.

In two of her last three games, Malonga has set new career highs in points, and both have been double-double performances. 

Malonga totaled 37 points, 12 rebounds, one assist and two blocks in the Storm’s 112-110 overtime loss to the Dallas Wings on Monday, June 22, at Climate Pledge Arena. Even in a loss, the Storm are getting better, and Malonga is becoming a dominant force in the post.

Storm guard Zia Cooke was asked postgame what was working well for the Storm in their spacing, and her response was straightforward.

“Finding Dom,” Cooke said, as reporters in the media room chuckled. “No, seriously, being able to see her, she was catching a flow. She was the best post player on the floor tonight, so we really wanted to make an emphasis to get her the ball.”

Malonga passed four-time WNBA MVP and three-time WNBA champion A’ja Wilson as the youngest player to record 30 or more points and 10 or more rebounds in a single game.

The signs were always there that Malonga could become the player the Storm were hoping. She showed flashes of that potential in the second half of her rookie season once former Seattle head coach Noelle Quinn took off the short leash. 

And with the mass exodus of Storm star power this offseason, Malonga has fully stepped into the No. 1 scoring role, while also providing defensive and rebounding utility. 

Since returning from her eight-game absence with a concussion, Malonga has scored 15 or more points in four of seven games and has shot at least 54.5% in each of those.

“Since I got back, it was hard for me to get back in my rhythm,” Malonga said after Monday’s loss to the Wings. “I struggle with confidence a lot, and [my teammates] never let me down … They just lift me up all the time. When I miss two shots and don’t want to shoot again, they’re always like ‘Keep shooting, that’s you, you lead us.’ It’s just feeling that confidence and knowing that I can do performances like that.

“That’s for the team … I just want to win. I just want to win games and win with these girls, they’re amazing. So, whenever I can come out and do nights like that to help this team win, that’s really what I want to do. It’s not even about me at all; it’s really about this team.

The performance against the Wings was spectacular. Malonga converted 14 of 24 shots and sank 7 of 9 free throws. She credits a dedication to being aggressive offensively for the recent surge, and the Storm have lost by five or fewer points in each of her two career-best games.

“Whenever I’m aggressive, and I’m really consistent in that aggressiveness, it’s just working,” Malonga said.

“When I don’t fade away, when I go to people’s chests, when I stay in the paint, when I grab rebounds — like a strong rebound — it just helps get me going, and by being aggressive, I know it helps my teammates … I really need to keep that up and be consistent in that.”

Cooke said that both Malonga and 2026 No. 3 overall pick Awa Fam, who was also drafted at 19 years old, are two of the most dedicated players on the team. They were the last two players in the weight room with Cooke on Sunday, proving their commitment to getting better.

“It’s important. And they’re the future, like they’re the future of this team and we definitely need them,” Cooke added.

The Storm aren’t expecting to compete for a title this season. But every step in their growth, especially among the young stars, provides hope that the franchise is trending in the right direction. It makes each loss in 2026 a bit easier to stomach.

Malonga is leading that charge, with Fam close behind in her footsteps. And it only feels like a matter of time until the Storm will begin turning more close losses into victories, led by their second-year star.

Storm head coach Sonia Raman summed it up succinctly, in exactly the way a coach would discuss a prospective face of the franchise.

“She’s a special player, she’s a special talent, and she’s a special person.”