​Why Dominique Malonga’s Kevin Durant workout should scare the rest of the WNBA originated from The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Remember when Victor Wembanyama worked out with Hakeem Olajuwon? Less than a year later, Wembanyama guided the San Antonio Spurs to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014. Dominique Malonga is hoping for a similar impact with the Seattle Storm, who currently find themselves near the bottom of the WNBA standings but could be poised for a significant leap in 2027.
Malonga recently worked out with the Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant during the Storm’s visit to Los Angeles for a game against the Sparks. Durant took that opportunity to share one of the keys to maintaining his elite scoring: the mid-range jumper. This advice comes as Malonga, who earned All-Star honors for the first time this season, continues to establish herself as one of the league’s true unicorns.
At 20 years old, Malonga is a premier finisher at the rim, capable of finishing through her own shot creation or capitalizing on opportunities created by her teammates. Yet outside of 10 feet, and without the consistent corner 3-pointer she has begun to develop, she has often been non-existent as an offensive force. Incorporating a reliable mid-range game to complement her rim protection and interior scoring would make her a more well-rounded offensive threat and force defenses to account for her in more ways.
As her frame continues to grow toward 6’6″, Malonga’s versatility could become even more problematic for opponents in the coming years. The Storm hope to reignite a championship window around a core that includes Malonga, Awa Fam, and Flau’jae Johnson. If she can add range and polish to her scoring toolkit, Seattle’s ceiling could rise significantly, especially as the league notes how quickly teams can pivot from rebuilding to contending with the right mix of talent and development.
With the Fever’s record and the dynamic shifts in their roster, even without Caitlin Clark, the league is watching closely. Reese’s Dream has shown resilience amid disruptions, reinforcing why the competition remains unpredictable and compelling. As in previous seasons, narratives around the Wings, the Mercury, and the rest of the league will be shaped by how players like Malonga evolve.
The absence of Caitlin Clark has been a talking point in the league’s discourse, but it has also highlighted the opportunities for other players to step up and demonstrate their value in high-leverage situations. For Malonga, the chance to develop a more varied scoring profile—particularly by embracing a reliable mid-range game—could unlock a new level of offensive threat that makes her nearly impossible to ignore in the league’s long arc of talent and championship contention.
In sum, Malonga’s development trajectory remains one of the most intriguing storylines in the WNBA. Her potential growth into a more versatile scorer, combined with her defensive impact and burgeoning length, could catalyze Seattle’s ascent from the basement to a legitimate title run in the near future. If she can add that mid-range consistency to her repertoire, the Storm’s core could become a formidable force for seasons to come, redefining how opponents game-plan for Seattle and signaling a broader shift in how teams construct and deploy multi-faceted, modern forwards in the league.