Where is Dominique Malonga expected to go in WNBA Draft 2025? Top 3 landing spots for 6'6" French phenom

Dominique Malonga has been one of the top prospects in the 2025 WNBA Draft class and is expected to be a lottery pick. The 6-foot-6 French center broke onto the scene at the Olympics in the summer, clashing with Team USA in the gold medal game. She put her name on the map in Paris, and Malonga has been climbing the draft boards ever since.

Dominique Malonga is one of the few overseas prospects in this year's draft class, playing for Lyon, a French team the participates in Eurocup and the BWL. Now that Olivia Miles has decided to forego the WNBA draft and enter the NCAA transfer portal, there are questions at the second overall pick in the draft. Malonga and the rest of the top prospects are candidates to move up.

While Malonga doesn't have any college experience under her belt, she has been playing professionally in Europe for a few years. Her play has even earned her comparisons to San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama from Tony Parker. Top prospects from Europe have had a good track record of success both the NBA and WNBA in recent years.

Dominique Malonga is expected to be one of the early picks in the 2025 WNBA Draft, but after looking at the draft board, we picked out three teams that are the best fits for Malonga as she begins her WNBA career.

1. The Seattle Storm add Dominique Malonga to fill out their starting five

UConn guard Paige Bueckers is widely expected to be the top overall pick, leaving the Seattle Storm their pick of the rest of the class. Looking at their roster, the Storm have a scoring need to fill after trading away Jewell Loyd this offseason. If they take Dominique Malonga with the second overall pick, she would form one of the more intimidating front lines in the WNBA alongside Ezi Magbegor.

Both Malonga and Magbegor are excellent defenders who can anchor a defense by themselves, but Dominique Malonga's ability to stretch the floor would allow the Storm to experiment with their lineups as they adjust to life without Loyd. The Seattle Storm also have an affinity for international players, including Magbegor and Gabby Williams.

While Victor Wembanyama has adjusted to the NBA extremely well over the last two seasons, he enjoys interacting with and playing alongside his fellow Frenchmen. If Dominique Malonga shares his pride for her country, joining Gabby Williams on the Storm would be a good fit for her if Williams and Magbegor take her under their wing.

2. The Golden State Valkyries find their future star

The Golden State Valkyries are the WNBA's newest team, but they aren't expected to do anything of note in their first year of existence. While they received praise for how they navigated the expansion draft, Golden State lacks a star to lead them. If Dominique Malonga somehow slides all the way to the fifth overall pick, the Valkyries would likely take her in a moment.

While playing on Lyon in Eurocup and serving as a key piece of the French national team in the Olympics, Malonga has shown an ability to mold her game around what her team needs. If she joins the Valkyries, Malonga will have the freedom to lead her team on both ends of the floor.

In their first WNBA draft, the Golden State Valkyries are expected to focus more on the future than bringing in a rookie who can help them now. Dominique Malonga is one of the only players in the draft that can have an impact immediately while also projecting as one of the best players at her position in the future. Her development is crucial, but the Valkyries would give her the most freedom to be herself.

3. Malonga joins the Washington Mystics' trio of top rookies

The Washington Mystics have been waiting for the 2025 WNBA Draft since their season ended last year. With three picks within the top six selections, the Mystics will have multiple opportunities to find a future star who can develop alongside Shakira Austin. Dominique Malonga, if she is available at the third overall selection, carries the highest floor of any player not named Paige Bueckers.

Depending on what the Seattle Storm do with the second overall pick, the Mystics will have a tough decision to make with the third and fourth picks in the draft, likely deciding between Malonga, Kiki Iriafen, Sonia Citron and Aneesah Morrow. The Mystics are in need of a lot of help after losing leading scorer Ariel Atkins this offseason, and Malonga could come in and become an offensive hub.

The Mystics have been attached to many rumors regarding what they will do with their three top ten picks, including trade one or more of them to bring in a star, but if they use all three selections, that trio of rookies will be tied to one another for the majority of their careers. When looking at potential pairings, Malonga is the most adaptable of the group, no matter who else the Mystics select after her.