WNBA Draft guide: Dominique Malonga scouting report

Malonga could be a generational defender, but she could also be out of the league quickly. Should the Mystics use one of their picks on her?

The 2025 WNBA Draft is coming up, and I’ll be scouting some of the draft prospects the Washington Mystics could select with their three top-six picks. I took a look at Paige Bueckers and Olivia Miles last week, so next up is Dominique Malonga.

Dominique Malonga profile

• College: N/A — plays overseas for ASVEL Féminin in the French league
• Position: Center
• Height: 6’6
• Where she is likely to be drafted: The lottery, as high as second overall but likely between third and fifth
• Likelihood that the Mystics will draft her: High

Scouting report

This season in France, Malonga averaged 14.9 points and 10.4 rebounds per game, as well as 1.4 blocks and 1.2 steals. She was also a member of the French Olympic team that nearly upset the United States in the gold medal game in Paris last summer.

Malonga’s size is her greatest asset as a WNBA prospect — at 6-foot-6, she will enter the league as one of its tallest players. She is already a formidable defender at just 19 years old, and she still has a lot of room for improvement, particularly on offense. Defensively, Malonga is fantastic at contesting (and blocking) attempts at the rim, and has really solid lateral movement for a player of her stature.

Some have called Malonga the “next Victor Wembanyama”; this is simply because she is also French. She, like Wemby, is a fantastic defensive player, though she is not nearly the game-wrecker that Wemby was when he was entering the NBA. She is also a far, far less polished offensive prospect than even a 16-year-old Wemby was. (Of course, these cross-league notes are relative).

Offensively, Malonga is a work in progress. She is very raw, though her athleticism and size should at the very least make her a credible pick-and-roll threat early. She has flashed a lot of potential as a screener and roller, and her movement is fluid and decisive.

When she is attacking the basket, Malonga releases the ball so close to the rim that her shot is virtually unblockable. In fact, she has dunked in-game a number of times.

I have noticed a slight propensity for Malonga to pick up her dribble early and use every possible step on every drive, which could be a problem at the WNBA level when defenders like Ezi Magbegor and A’ja Wilson are protecting the rim. This observation may, however, just be a product of the footage of Malonga I’ve had available to me (plus I am in no way a professional talent evaluator).

Malonga is still a non-threat as a shooter, but her willingness to take jump shots — especially her favorite, a one-legged fadeaway — indicates she has the potential to develop a solid shot.

Malonga’s offensive ceiling was on display in an international friendly against Finland last year. It should be noted, though, that France won the game by almost 100 points, so Malonga’s light was greener than she may ever see again.

Critiques of Malonga’s offensive game are legitimate, but it bears repeating that she is still just 19 years old, three years younger than all eligible American prospects. Presumptive draft classmate Sedona Prince from TCU is over five full years older than Malonga.

Should the Mystics draft her?

Malonga is a prototypical boom-or-bust prospect. Her ceiling is firmly that of a perennial All-Defensive team member and All-Star, but the likelihood she never catches on in the league is just as high. As a result, if any team is to draft Malonga early, it should be the Mystics, who are playing with house money with three top-six picks.

Malonga is also a likely draft-and-stash candidate, which I believe enhances the case for Washington to select her. This is especially true if the Mystics decide to draft-and-stash her in anticipation of an extended rebuilding period. Stashing Malonga overseas would free up a roster spot — a necessary relief considering the Mystics have three high picks this year — while allowing Malonga to develop her offensive game with more opportunities overseas. It is my belief that she is defensively ready for the WNBA at this stage.

Conclusions

Olivia Miles is my favorite prospect within reason for the Mystics to draft (assuming Paige Bueckers is the first pick to the Dallas Wings). That being said, the prospect of what Dominique Malonga could be is tantalizing, especially considering the breadth of high picks the Mystics own.

Malonga is absolutely in play for the Mystics at number three or number four, and Washington is her most likely destination barring a future trade.

For more on Malonga, check out this fantastic article from The Ringer’s Mark Schindler.