The leap did not start with a highlight. It started with contact. As Dominique Malonga navigates her first professional offseason, the Seattle Storm forward believes the most important growth in her game has come away from traditional five-on-five basketball. The Unrivaled season has forced her into tighter spaces, faster reads, and constant physical battles, and Malonga says that environment has changed how she plays.

That realization came during Unrivaled play this winter. Speaking after a recent game, Dominique Malonga explained that the fast, physical 3×3 format has sharpened the part of her game she now leans on most.

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“I would say my physicality, how I step into the games,” Malonga said. “Here the game is very physical and very fast. It’s me navigating that pace and trying to find my reps. I really try to be efficient close to the basket in my pick and roll.”

That answer matters because Malonga already arrived in the WNBA with momentum. Drafted second overall in 2025 by the Seattle Storm, she quickly became a rotation staple, averaging 14.3 minutes and 7.7 points per game as a rookie. Her role expanded late in the season, including increased minutes during the playoffs against the Las Vegas Aces. By year’s end, Malonga earned All-Rookie Team honors and emerged as a clear candidate for Seattle’s protected core.

Instead of coasting on that foundation, Malonga took her offseason reps to Unrivaled.

Playing for Breeze BC, Malonga has thrived in the league’s 3×3 structure. She has hovered near the top of the rebounding leaderboard and averaged roughly 15 points per game in a format that compresses space and magnifies physical contact. With fewer players on the floor, defenders are always engaged, especially in the paint.

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That environment has pushed Malonga toward efficiency rather than volume. In 3×3, nearly every half-court action turns into a pick-and-roll, and there is little room to hide from contact. As a result, finishing through bodies becomes non-negotiable.

Malonga pointed to her chemistry with teammate Paige Bueckers as a major factor. Bueckers’ ability to find her around the rim has increased both her touches and her exposure to physical defense, creating repetitions she does not always see during a WNBA season.

Those repetitions have already produced tangible results. Earlier in the Unrivaled season, Malonga recorded her first professional dunk, a moment that symbolized the strength and confidence she says she has been building. It was not an isolated flash. It was the outcome of constant contact and decision-making under pressure.

That progression carries real implications for Seattle. A stronger, more assertive Malonga fits cleanly into the Storm’s long-term frontcourt plans and positions her for a larger role in the 2026 season.

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Dominique Malonga eyes Unrivaled’s 1-on-1 challenge

That growth will be tested again soon. Unrivaled’s 1-on-1 tournament returns this season, featuring 32 players split into four pods competing for a $300,000 prize pool. Fan voting determines seeding within each pod, shaping early matchups and potential paths through the bracket.

The field includes a mix of veterans and first-time participants, headlined by Bueckers. Defending champion Napheesa Collier will not take part this year, opening the door for new contenders.

Malonga said she is looking forward to the tournament, describing it as both a challenge and an opportunity to measure her progress. She has been placed in Pod D, a group stacked with size, strength, and defensive versatility.

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Two players from each pod will advance to the main bracket. Whether Malonga breaks through or not, the tournament serves a larger purpose. It places her improved physicality under a spotlight designed to expose weaknesses quickly.

For Malonga, that is the point. The Unrivaled season has not just added polish to her game. It has forced a shift in how she plays through contact, and that change could define her next step in Seattle.