“” Dominique Malunga should be the MVP of the championship. If it is not, it is a scandal. The tone, very serious, is used by Yoann Cabioc'h, a few minutes after a new high -flying performance of his young star. This Sunday, April 6, against Charleville-Mézières, the 19-year-old player still dominated the debates with His 27 points in the victory of ASVEL.
What inflate her stats lines on the season (15.4 points and 10.3 rebounds) which make her a beautiful candidate for the Supreme Individual Trophy, despite the just balanced balance of her training (11V-11D). What, too, to finish to convince those who have been following her for months on the other side of the Atlantic. Yes, victory was the most important, because the ” collective objectives take precedence Always for her.
With the future n ° 1 of the draft #Wnba ? Response next Monday #DomieMalonga @ASVEL_FEMININ pic.twitter.com/qvqnugjqpq
– Samuel Hauraix (@shauraix_nba) April 6, 2025
But there is also ” This event that happens, inevitably, is always a plus », She confides to Basketa. The event in question, which remained in a corner of its head throughout the season, is the Draft WNBA. Monday, April 14, she will take advantage of a hole in the calendar before the playoffs to go back and forth to New York and hear her name called by Cathy Engelbert. “” I can't wait to be there and that my American project materializes She displays with overflowing serenity.
First place online in sight
With a status of “top pick”? “” Totally possible. I aim for first place because I always aim for the best. Former assistant at the Chicago Sky, his coach is also optimistic, but thinks that the “hype” around Paige Bueckers, favorite French by ESPN in its “Mock Draft” (Only 5th) will eventually win.
“” If it is not in 1, but in 2 (Editor's note: she would join her teammate with the Bleues Gabby Williams at Seattle Storm) Or in 3, it's just as good. And I will be just as honored and grateful because a top 3 is already something incredible », Qualifies Dominique Malonga who prefers to remain» neutral As for its potential destination. A podium would in all cases be unheard of for a Frenchwoman.
And what a pride for ASVEL and the Lyon training from which it comes. “” We saw him arrive at 16 with us. As soon as she arrived from INSEP, she joined the 100%Pro team. To see her continue to evolve, to mature and to become a real owner in our championship, is a great pleasure », Lists the sports director of the club and former international, Paoline Salagnac.
For the manager, the interior perfectly met the expectations generated after a year of loan, in Tarbes, who made him change his status when he returned to Asvel.
“” This status did not frighten it. On the contrary, she took the full measure of the importance she had in our team. In 22 appearances, she rarely missed out, ending with 12 double-doubles.
Comparisons with Victor Wembanyama
Beyond regularity, there is the way of doing things. Dominique Malonga is a superb alloy between size and mobility, tinged with a good dose of athletic qualities. With safe hands that allow him to finish with ease near the circle. But also to evolve on the outskirts, up to the 3-point line where it only turns only 29%.
This game and her slender physique were enough to attract comparisons to him. “” It's almost the same UFO Summarizes performance manager Sylvain Laupie, quoting the inevitable Victor Wembanyama. “” She has a profile that is completely atypical. And who must also revolutionize basketball, I am sure », Adds Paoline Salagnac.
“” Mobility, address, speed of execution, gesture speed, understanding, it has everything Summarizes Yoann Cabioc'h, whose player says she was influenced by Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis in boys, Breanna Stewart, Candace Parker and A'ja Wilson side girls. “” Now, she will have to expand her hardness, that she can thicken a little, muscularly speaking “, Projives his coach, who observed this year his progress in defense or his ability to finish despite contact.
His extra thing? The Dunk
Another aspect of her game pointed out the spotlight on her: her ability … in Dunker. “” We always saw her doing it on training, it becomes something routine for her. We are very happy that she was able to place him in a match twice this year because it is also his signature, a tool, a facet of Dominique “Note Paoline Salagnac who sees a” inspiration Possible for the basketball players of tomorrow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztpuh-nsrxy
No question, however, of locking up the player in the “simple” dunker category. Her gesture, which remains rare, the interested party sees it ” as ». “” Admittedly, I want it to be really an integral part of my game, but it will remain something thoughtful. It will always be built, like any shot “, Aims at the young woman, aware that a dunk in WNBA would offer her maximum exhibition.
What about his exhibition in France on the eve of his American departure? Not much comparable to the “Wembamania” which had shaken the Jeep Elite upstream of its draft. This Sunday afternoon, for the last game of the regular season, the magnificent Lyon sports palace is very strewn: 1,300 people on a configuration to 3,000 people. All the season, the ASVEL women's team has experienced very random crowds.
In the spans, no supporter with a team jersey on the back. In one of the wings of the speaker, a group of students, white T-shirt, drum and megaphone, is responsible for setting the mood during the match. Dominique? A young girl from the group admits that she did not know her. “” We are not particularly basketball fans … »»
A low media impact
“” Women's basketball in general, I don't know why it doesn't work “, Slab, from the Press Tribune, Norbert Bonnet, sports journalist of the local daily Le Progrès, the only other journalist present at post-match press conference. The one wonders why the hearings of his site have not taken off, as with Marine Johannès in the past. Even when the giant Malonga dunké.
Dominique Malonga on his goals:
“” People do not realize the gem we have. Even for the Lyon basketball audience, the WNBA is a bit abstract », Analysis Sylvain Laupie. Despite the growing interest in the female championship, in the United States at least, or the Olympic final of last summer in which she participated with the French team against the Americans, Dominique Malonga did not feel any overexposure this season.
“” I find that we do not make enough focus on this dimension a little 'game change' (being drafted so high). With Victor, we put it much further forward. It is linked to the lack of media coverage of female basketball. But we have a lot of young players who do incredible things, who will also evolve in WNBA tomorrow. I think of Leïla Lacan, Carla Leite … »Players selected last year.
“A generational player”
Wishing to win the WNBA directly after her draft, the Frenchwoman is expected as a new tricolor standard bearer across the Atlantic. Its current leaders, who praise its maturity and already exemplary professionalism, do not doubt a second.
“” I see her becoming a 'Player franchise' wherever it happens anyway, maybe not this year, but in any case in the two-three years. I see her becoming a fantastic leader, an All-Star Wnba, a generational player “, Proclaims his coach imagining him, in the long term, to become” one of the ten best players in the world ».
Despite his mentality of ” conqueror “, Dominique Malonga prefers to play restraint. Objectives, interior, which was announced his recruitment by Fenerbahçe (” There is nothing official She reacts), has her head. But these remain dependent on the role which will be attributed to her by the franchise where she will land.
“” I know I'm not going to arrive and put 30 points for them. I'm really going to go under observation, see training camp how it goes. Afterwards, I could say that I am able to do that or that. I have always been pragmatic, I don't like to be a 'dreamy' who would like to be MVP when it is not achievable. I really do concrete, precise things compared to what I can do. »»
Ambitious but realistic. Certainly, the comparison with Victor Wembanyama sticks almost at all levels.
Photos and remarks collected in Lyon.
