Dominique Malonga's dunk sets tone for Storm's opener vs. Valkyries

Pandemonium erupted inside the Storm Center for Basketball Performance as players screamed and sprinted off the floor while courtside observers watched in awe and tried to comprehend the moment.

"Oh my gosh," guard Zia Cooke said. "That was ridiculous. You saw it, right?"

Forward Jordan Horston added: "Man, that was one of the craziest things I've ever seen. … But that's Dom."

Near the end of Thursday's practice, which pitted the Storm starters against their men's practice squad, coach Sonia Raman drew up a play for Natisha Hiedeman and Dominique Malonga.

"I've been talking with T and she's like, ‘I'm going to lob it to you,'" Malonga said. "And I said: ‘Just throw it high and I'll get it.'"

True to her word, Malonga went up and threw down a dunk that won't soon be forgotten by those in attendance.

First, Hiedeman darted in the lane and curled off a screen at the free-throw line before the purple-haired point guard tossed a pass at the rim.

Then, Malonga leapt high over a defender and the lanky 6-foot-6 center stretched to flush an emphatic two-handed dunk that effectively ended practice.

"It was awesome," Raman said, smiling broadly. "It was really, really high-level execution. They executed off the board. For them, obviously that's a really special moment.

"There were a couple possessions that (were) supposed to happen after that, but sometimes as a coach you have to read the room. Practice was over. They were really excited. It was exactly how we wanted to have our last possession go for training camp."

Raman begins her first season with the Storm when they face the Golden State Valkyries at 7 p.m. Friday at Climate Pledge Arena.

"It's been a really good camp," she said. "Really pleased with what we saw from the players. … This has been a really, really good group here. I'm excited for what we have going forward."

Perhaps fittingly, Seattle's regular-season opener is against budding Western Conference rival Golden State and Gabby Williams, the former Storm standout.

In their inaugural season in 2025, the Valkyries tied the Storm in the standings at 23-21 and split the regular-season series at two games apiece.

The Storm lost four All-Stars from last season, including Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins and Brittney Sykes, but several league observers believed Williams would return after posting career-highs in scoring (11.6 points per game), assists (4.2) and steals (2.3).

The 29-year-old Williams, who spent the past four years in Seattle, attended Raman's introductory news conference and represented the team at the WNBA draft lottery in the offseason.

However, Williams signed a three-year, $3.75 million deal that's tied for the fourth-richest contract in WNBA history.

"Of course, I had hopes of it," three-year veteran Jordan Horston said when asked about the possibility of Williams returning to the Storm. "I love playing with her, but at the end of the day, people got to do what's best for them and what's best for their families. So, I understand that this wasn't right for (her) and I just wish her nothing but the best.

"It's nothing personal. It's a business. That's what I've been learning, but of course I miss her. I love Gabby."

Horston and Williams sat out last week when the Storm lost 78-76 in a road exhibition against the Valkyries, but their matchup is one of the intriguing battles in the first-ever pairing between the former teammates.

When the Storm selected Horston, a 6-foot-2 forward with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2023 draft, she drew immediate comparisons to Williams, a 5-11 wing who is one of the most versatile defenders in the league.

During her first two WNBA seasons, Horston, who sat out last year due to an ACL injury, was a backup behind Williams, whom she described as a mentor and "someone who took me under her wing."

Despite their close connection, Horston expects an intense battle with Williams.

"Gabby's a great player," Horston said. "She's an All-Star. I look up to her and thank her for what she did for me. It's going to be a great matchup. I love her, but not on the court. On the court, it's basketball. She knows that."

Horston will likely be on a minutes restriction considering she hasn't played since Feb. 7, 2025, when she injured her knee during an Athletes Unlimited game.

"I'm excited," Horston said. "It's finally here. I'm going to treat it like any other game day. … It's not just my first game back, but it's the first game for this new team."

Admittedly, Horston was still feeling giddy and riding high on post-practice vibes after Malonga's alley-oop dunk.

"It surprised us all," Horston said. "I don't even know if Dom knew it was going to happen. It's just exciting. It just shows the energy that this team has. We get hyped for each other. We want to see each other do well. We motivate each other. It just goes to show what we've been putting on this whole camp."

Malonga added: "I think that's the best way to end training camp and to get ready for (Friday). I think that just shows how good of a group we are, the chemistry that's already here, and how we're just ready for this season."

The second-year sensation laughed when asked if she's poised for her first dunk in a WNBA game?

"I'll do it as soon as I can," she said. "Nothing is coordinated. I'm not going (to say) I'm going to dunk (Friday). But now it's really in me, so whenever I have the opportunity to try it, I'll go for it."

Awa Fam still in Spain

The Storm temporarily suspended the contract of rookie center Awa Fam, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA draft who is playing with Valencia Basket in Spain.

Per the new collective bargaining agreement, Fam is slotted to receive a four-year, $1.95 million deal that pays her $436,016 this season.

Fam is expected to make her Storm debut when her season in Spain ends. Valencia Basket plays a LF Endesa semifinal game on Sunday.

Notes

• Forward Katie Lou Samuelson, who sat out last season and is recovering from an ACL injury, will miss Friday's opener.

"We're still ramping her up," Raman said. "She's doing really well. She's right on schedule with everything."

• Rookie Grace VanSlooten, who was taken in the third round of the 2026 draft, starts the season on the 12-player active roster.

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This story was originally published May 7, 2026 at 11:51 PM.