Why Dominque Malonga’s Kevin Durant workout should scare the rest of the WNBA originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Remember when Victor Wembanyama worked out with Hakeem Olajuwon?
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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 to have a similar impact on the Seattle Storm, who find themselves lingering around the WNBA basement right now but may be ticketed for a competitive leap in 2027.
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Malonga recently worked out with the Houston Rockets’ Kevin Durant when the Storm visited Los Angeles for a game against the Sparks.
Durant took the opportunity to show Malonga one of the secrets to sustaining his elite scoring output: the mid-range jumper.
Malonga, named an All-Star for the first time this year, is one of the WNBA’s unicorns.
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The 20-year-old is an elite finisher at the rim, whether that is through her own shot creation or through putting back her teammates’ misses.
But outside of 10 feet — and shorn of the reliable corner 3-pointer she has added — Malonga is a non-factor offensively.
Adding a mid-range shot to complement her rim protection and interior scoring would make Malonga a well-rounded threat.
Given her growing 6’6” frame, it would make Malonga even more difficult to stop in the coming years, when the Storm hope to reopen a championship window with a core of Malonga, Awa Fam and Flau’jae Johnson.
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