The 2025 second overall pick in the WNBA Draft, Dominique Malonga, missed the start of the Seattle Storm’s training camp on Sunday, according to ESPN’s Kevin Pelton. The concerning part is that Storm’s coach, Noelle Quinn, told Pelton that “the team doesn’t have a timetable yet for her arrival.” However, Quinn did clear the air about the communication aspect, “We’re in communication with her,” Quinn said. “We’ll get some updates this week.” That’s some good news, as this is a desperate Storm team that needs Malonga ASAP, especially with the expectation that the teenage French star has on her.
The Reason Malonga’s Not There
Malonga just concluded her season in France on Wednesday as her team, ASVEL was eliminated from the quarterfinals of the LFB playoffs by Landes. Malonga is allowed to have a break because the WNBA’s prioritization rules don’t apply to her because she has fewer than three years of experience in the league. This will delay the start of her camp as the Storm only has one preseason game on May 4th against the Connecticut Sun in Seattle. So there is time for Malonga to accumulate before being required to step on the court.
Final Thoughts
The Storm need her to perform as they have key injuries to some players, including Nika Muhl, so they need all of the resources they can get on the court, which could be seen as an issue to some fans. But Malonga’s game is going to be worth it at the end of the day, as there were comparisons to San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama before the draft, so the lights are bright for Seattle going forward as they look to bounce back this upcoming season. Total Apex Sports also has more WNBA stories, along with NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL and much more throughout the year.
