WNBA Star Dominique Malonga Dunks and Codes Her Way to the Top

When Dominique Malonga needs a break from juggling WNBA practice and computer science homework, she heads to a room in her apartment complex that teammates now call "Dom's Room." Inside, the 6-foot-6 Seattle Storm center sits at a piano and plays pieces she taught herself on YouTube, letting the music quiet her mind.

At just 20 years old, Malonga is already one of professional basketball's most exciting young talents. Drafted second overall last year, she became the youngest player in league history to post a double-double and reach 100 career points during her rookie season.

But basketball is only part of her story. While most WNBA players earn college degrees before turning pro, international players like Malonga can enter the draft at 20 without one. The France-raised phenom chose to get her bachelor's degree anyway, enrolling at Southern New Hampshire University's online program this year.

She picked computer science after excelling in math and science throughout school. "We don't even understand how it's going to be in the next five or 10 years," she says. "I want to be able to navigate that as I am leaving my print in basketball, and also leave my print in the world tomorrow."

Her ultimate goal is to build an app, though the concept remains a work in progress. For now, she's learning to balance weekly assignments with her full-time basketball career, sometimes submitting coursework at 11 p.m. on Sunday nights.

This season, fans can expect to see more of Malonga's signature dunks. She perfected the skill during the off-season at Unrivaled's 3-on-3 league, where she dunked three times. "It's a layup for me now," she says, crediting hours of strength training in the gym.

Why This Inspires

Malonga proves that chasing excellence doesn't mean choosing one path over another. She's building strength in the gym and skills in the classroom, refusing to limit her future to the basketball court alone.

Between games, homework, and time at the piano, she's showing young athletes everywhere that investing in yourself pays dividends beyond any single arena. When she's home in France during breaks, she plays card game tournaments with her basketball-loving family, grounding herself in the relationships that matter most.

At an age when most people are still figuring out who they want to be, Malonga is becoming everything she imagined.