Dominique Malonga (born 16 November 2005) is a French professional basketball player for ASVEL Féminin of the Ligue Féminine de Basketball (LFB) and a member of the France women's national basketball team. Malonga was the youngest member of the French team at the 2024 Summer Olympics and won a silver medal.
 Malonga in 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 14 – ASVEL | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Forward-center | ||||||||||||||||||||
| League | LFB | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 16 November 2005 Yaoundé, Cameroon | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing career | 2021–present | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–present | ASVEL Féminin | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023–24 | Tarbes GB | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medals
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In 2024, Malonga made history by becoming the first Frenchwoman to dunk in a game.[1][2]
Early life
editMalonga was born in Yaoundé, and is the daughter of Thalance Malonga and Agathe N'Nindjem-Yolemp.[3] Both of her parents are former basketball players, while her father is currently a doctor.[4][5]
Playing career
editOn 30 June 2021, Malonga signed with ASVEL Féminin of the LFB.[6] ASVEL Féminin president Tony Parker called her the female Victor Wembanyama.[7][8] During the 2021–22 season, in her first season with the club, she averaged six points and five rebounds in seven games.[9] During the 2022–23 season she missed six weeks due to injury and averaged 6.4 points and 3.3 rebounds in seven games.[10]
On 17 August 2023, she was loaned to Tarbes Gespe Bigorre of the LFB for the 2023–24 season.[11] During her first season with Tarbes Gespe Bigorre she averaged 11.9 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 25 games.[12]
Malonga returned to ASVEL for the 2024–25 season. On October 31, 2024, in a 115–54 win over Apollon Limassol in the 2024–25 EuroCup Women, Malonga became the first Frenchwoman to dunk in an official game.[1][2]
National team career
editMalonga made her international debut for France at the 2021 FIBA U16 Women's European Challengers where she averaged 19.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 2.8 blocks per game to help France qualify for the 2022 FIBA Under-17 Women's Basketball World Cup.[13]
During the 2022 FIBA Under-17 Women's Basketball World Cup she averaged a double-double of 18 points and ten rebounds per game and helped France win a bronze medal.[14] During the bronze medal game against Canada she scored 28 points and 17 rebounds. Following the tournament she was named to the all-tournament team.[15] She finished the tournament with the best efficiency rating of 22.4, ranked second in scoring and fourth in rebounds.[16]
During the 2024 FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament she averaged nine points and 3.3 rebounds in three games, as France finished the tournament undefeated.[17] On 8 June 2024, she was named to France's roster to compete at the 2024 Summer Olympics. At 18 years old, she was the youngest member on the team.[18][19] During the Olympic tournament, Malonga played in all three group games and the gold medal game. She averaged 7.1 minutes, 2.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game as the French team won a silver medal.[20]
Orders
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Chevalier in the French Order of Merit: 2024[21]
References
edit- ^ a b "Dominique Malonga, the first Frenchwoman to dunk in a match". 1 November 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
- ^ a b "Teenage sensation Malonga throws down historic dunk". www.fiba.basketball. 31 October 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
- ^ Segura, Nicolas (30 July 2023). "Dominique Malonga, prodige du basketball, revient en famille à Flers". actu.fr (in French). Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ Azzola, Jean-Marc (9 May 2022). "Dominique Malonga (ASVEL) : « Les attentes autour de moi me motivent »". lequotidiendusport.fr (in French). Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Flers. Deux délégations africaines à un tournoi de basket". Ouest-France (in French). 28 November 2019. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Dominique Malonga, nouvelle Lionne". ldlcasvelfeminin.com (in French). 30 June 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ Newman, Logan (21 October 2022). "16-year-old French girls basketball player Dominique Malonga goes viral dunking". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Six rising stars ready to shine at Paris 2024". fiba.basketball. 15 July 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Malonga head and shoulders above the Top 5 girls campers at BWB Europe". fiba.basketball. 17 June 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Six semaines d'absence pour Dominique MALONGA". ldlcasvelfeminin.com (in French). 8 February 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Dominique Malonga prêtée à Tarbes pour la saison 2023-2024". ldlcasvelfeminin.com (in French). 17 August 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Dominique Malonga sacrée meilleure jeune du championnat". ldlcasvelfeminin.com (in French). 11 April 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "The standout players from the FIBA U16 Women's European Challengers". fiba.basketball. 17 August 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Les Bleues U17 en bronze, Dominique dans le 5 majeur !". ldlcasvelfeminin.com (in French). 17 July 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Watkins named TISSOT MVP, leads All-Star Five". fiba.basketball. 18 July 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Who is the 16-year-old dunking sensation Dominique Malonga?". fiba.basketball. 21 October 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Team Profile: Will France deliver a fairytale in front of their fans?". fiba.basketball. 20 July 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Les 12 Bleus retenus pour Paris 2024". ffbb.com (in French). 8 June 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Teenage Malonga breathes fire for France". fiba.basketball. 2 July 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Dominique Malonga - France - Stats, News, Photos & Videos - Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament Paris 2024 | FIBA.basketball". www.fiba.basketball. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
- ^ Décret du 23 septembre 2024 portant promotion et nomination dans l'ordre national du Mérite.
External links
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