The Seattle Storm are drowning. Nine straight losses. A 3-10 record that sits dead last in the Western Conference. But buried inside another painful defeat Wednesday night at the Moda Center was a historic performance that has the league paying close attention.
Rookie center Dominique Malonga dropped a career-high 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in Seattle’s 94-89 loss to the Portland Fire. According to StatMuse, the 20-year-old French phenom became the youngest player in WNBA history to record a 25-point, 10-rebound game.
That’s not just a nice stat line. That’s a franchise cornerstone performance — and it came in a game where the Storm blew a seven-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. Portland outscored Seattle 27-15 in the final frame to steal the win.
Malonga shot 12-of-19 from the field, added three assists, two steals, and two blocks, and turned the ball over just once. She was the best player on the floor by a wide margin.
“She’s been incredible,” fans online noted after the game, and the numbers back it up. Before this season, Malonga averaged 7.7 points and 4.6 rebounds off the bench as a rookie. Now, thrust into a starting role with veteran Ezi Magbegor sidelined by a foot injury, she’s averaging 15.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 1.3 blocks in 24.3 minutes per game.
The Storm drafted Malonga with the No. 2 overall pick last year out of France, and she immediately made the All-Rookie Team — joining Jewell Loyd, Ramu Tokashiki, Breanna Stewart, and Jordan Horston as the only players in franchise history to earn that honor.
But the weight on her shoulders has gotten heavier. Seattle lost Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins, and Gabby Williams in the offseason, leaving Malonga as the primary offensive option on a team desperately searching for answers.
The Storm will try to snap their losing streak Saturday against the Phoenix Mercury. Whether they win or lose, one thing is clear: Dominique Malonga is no longer just a promising young player. She’s making history.
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