It was July 30th, 2002—a regular game between the Los Angeles Sparks and the Miami Sol at the STAPLES Center. As usual, Lisa Leslie and co. were strong right from the start. But the spotlight was on a moment just before the 4:44 mark in the first half. That’s when Leslie intercepted a pass intended for her teammate and sprinted down an open court. In one swift, powerful motion, she rose up and threw down a one-handed dunk that electrified the crowd and sliced into the deficit. “For the first time in WNBA history, someone has dunked,” announced the commentator.
And just like that, Leslie—the first woman in WNBA history to dunk in a game—made it possible. Almost two decades have passed since then, but dunks in the W are still a rare sight. That may be about to change in 2025, thanks to a bold new face in the league—and a unique request from a Sparks star.
The anticipated shift is owed to the arrival of the No. 2 overall pick by the Seattle Storm: Dominique Malonga. Standing at 6’6″, Malonga isn’t just one of the top players in this year’s draft—she’s different. Mainly because she can dunk. And not just in warmups. Last October, Malonga made history by becoming the first French woman to dunk in a EuroCup game. She did it with ease, and she did it at just 18 years old.
But this isn’t new for her. Malonga’s résumé is already stacked. She was the youngest player on France’s Olympic team at the Paris Games, where she helped lead her country to the gold medal game. Though they ultimately fell in a 67–66 heartbreaker, no one could deny how much of a force she was. So yes, Malonga can dunk—and she’s got experience going up against vets who’ve logged years in the W. That’s exactly what sparked a hilarious and unexpected challenge from Sparks rookie Rickea Jackson.
It all started when Jackson was asked about facing Malonga this season. While she brushed off any fear of the rookie herself, she admitted, “I’m scared of the act of getting dunked on.”
Honestly? It’s fair. Before the draft, a clip from 2022 of Malonga performing a drop-step spin move that ended with a smooth one-hand slam surfaced on social media. Odds are, everyone’s seen it by now. But then again, Rickea Jackson isn’t just any rookie. “I’m going to come over and try to block it,” she shared confidently.
However, Rickea didn’t let the moment pass without aiming her sights on someone else.
Despite knowing she’ll face Malonga and the Storm three times this season, Jackson jokingly redirected the spotlight:
“Yeah, I want Sydney Colson to get dunked on so bad. That’s the only birthday present I want.”
Mind you, this was 56 days after her 24th birthday. Anyway, why Sydney Colson?
“I want Sydney Colson to get dunked on so bad, that’s the only birthday present I want… please dunk on Sydney Colson” https://t.co/OA9YQLCwRo
— mikal bridges stan (@phxsunz25) May 10, 2025
Well, it’s not about rivalry—it’s about banter. Good, hilarious WNBA banter. In fact, this wasn’t even the first time Jackson went there. A few weeks prior, she had another playful jab at Colson in response to a viral video. It all started on April 18th when the Las Vegas Aces shared footage of Queen Egbo dunking twice during practice. The video blew up instantly and eventually found its way to Jackson’s feed.
The moment she saw it, she reposted it with a cheeky message: “Number 51 on Indiana Fever said you could neverrrr do this on her. Personally, I would never take that disrespect. I think you should save it for that game.”
Yep—another playful shot at Colson. But if you think Jackson is the only one dishing it out, think again. Colson jumped into the fray as well. After Jackson’s tweet, Colson fired off on X: “Lord please let Rickea be the first WNBA player to get dunked on . Amen!” Colson’s post then racked up over a million views. Clearly, Jackson wanted her own moment in return, and Egbo was all in. She replied with a hilarious twist: “Now that I’m thinking about it I never did like 51, so u right .”
So there you have it. A web of friendly fire, viral tweets, and playful trash talk that is quietly setting the stage for something special this WNBA season.
This might just be the year dunking becomes part of the W’s regular highlight reel—and Dominique Malonga could be the one at the center of it all. But…..the conversations aren’t fueled without the spark!
The real reason behind W’s dunking conversations this season!
It’s not just about the new rookie who can dunk or Queen Egbo. The real conversation goes back to a debate Shaquille O’Neal started last year. During his October appearance on Angel Reese’s podcast show, O’Neal stirred things up by suggesting that lowering the rim slightly, by about an inch, could make dunking more prevalent in the WNBA.
Taking into account the growing visibility of the sport, Shaq suggested that the W should consider lowering its rim to encourage more dunks, aiming to boost both viewership even further. “So, let me explain why I came up with this solution first,” the Los Angeles Lakers legend said. “In women’s beach volleyball, let’s just say the net is 10 (feet), for women it’s lower just a little bit. I’m not saying lowering it to 9.5, just 9.9.”
For Shaq, the major difference between the NBA and WNBA has been dunking. While W players have dunked in games, it’s still not enough in his eyes. “We got s— talkers, we got brawls, the only thing that’s missing is the dunk.”
That’s the comment that ignited powerful responses from across the women’s basketball community, led by none other than A’ja Wilson. She emphasized that the focus should be on improving vertical leap and dunking ability within the game as it currently stands. “That could change all of our shots,” Wilson said. “Do y’all not understand that… You never know, next year I might dunk.”
Womens National Basketball Association – Chicago Sky v Las Vegas Aces Aja Wilson 22 Las Vegas Aces shoots the ball during warm ups before the WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA Commissioner s Cup Final between the Chicago Sky and Las Vegas Aces on July 26th, 2022 at Wintrust Arena, Chicago, USA. NO COMMERCIAL USAGE Shaina Benhiyoun/SPP PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxBRAxMEX Copyright: xShainaxBenhiyoun/SPPx shaina_benhiyoun_sports_press_photo_167667
While the WNBA is not expected to change the rims anytime soon, we might still see dunks this WNBA season. Whether it’s Dominique Malonga making her debut, Queen Egbo putting in work at practice, or Rickea Jackson launching playful challenges, the league is buzzing.
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