The good news simply doesn't seem to stop for the Seattle Storm, as Dominique Malonga was declared eligible to play in the WNBA this season after receiving her letter of clearance from FIBA on April 22.

The clearance came after there was a contract dispute between Turkish heavyweight Fenerbahçe and Malonga over whether the 20-year-old should be allowed to play in the WNBA.

Malonga had signed a three-year contract with the recent EuroLeague winners in the summer of 2025 that was "unilaterally terminated" just months later.

Sources told ESPN that the deal between the two parties stipulated that Malonga would be allowed to play in the WNBA in between seasons, which helped create a pathway for FIBA to ensure her eligibility.

However, on October 20 last year, Fenerbahçe announced on social media that the 20-year-old had "unilaterally terminated" her contract "without any justified reason". The club also added that they would exercise all legal avenues for compensation.

But Malonga had already announced a few days prior on TikTok that she was not in Turkey, as she underwent wrist surgery during the offseason that would keep her in a cast for six weeks.

Ten days after the Turkish club's announcement, Malonga's name was seen as a new participant in the Unrivaled league. As it is not associated with FIBA, Malonga did not require a clearance letter.

The 20-year-old played the full Unrivaled season from January to March with Breeze BC, finishing second in the team's scoring with an average of 16.4 points per game.

Now that she is finally cleared again to feature in a newly built Seattle Storm, Malonga is on course to try her hand at positionless basketball.

Dominique Malonga Expected to Play Positionless Basketball for Seattle

The term positionless basketball essentially means that a player is not restricted to the confines of one role or position. So, we might see Malonga operate in different spaces of the court in a single game.

Positionless basketball was also the talk during last year's preseason on teams such as the New York Liberty and the Phoenix Mercury.

It is the perfect time for the Storm to try out new setups, as they are currently in a rebuild of their own, so there is more room for mistakes.

Seattle also selected Spain’s Awa Fam with the No. 3 overall pick in the WNBA Draft, and she plays a similar position to Malonga. That makes the decision to adopt a positionless approach for Malonga even more logical.

Malonga averaged 7.7 points and 4.6 rebounds per game last season for Seattle, earning a spot on the all-rookie team. She is now expected to have an even larger role for the new-look Storm this season.

With the frontcourt covered, Seattle made the smart decision to trade for eighth overall pick Flau'jae Johnson with the Golden State Valkyries to resolve any backcourt issues.

While it remains to be seen if Seattle will continue with the option of positionless basketball for Malonga by the time the season starts, there certainly is no harm in trying for a team that crashed out of the playoffs in the first round last season.

So, do you think Dominique Malonga will succeed in this new-look Seattle Storm in the upcoming season?

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Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Souvik Roy