Dominique Malonga’s rise as one of the brightest young talents in women’s basketball has stalled. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft is now locked in a contract dispute with Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahçe, placing her WNBA future in jeopardy, according to reporting from Front Office Sports.

Fenerbahçe announced Monday that Malonga had “unilaterally terminated her professional player contract… without any just cause.” In a statement posted to the team’s official X account, the club said it intends to “exercise all our legal rights to seek compensation for any material and moral damages incurred.”

The French forward signed a three-year contract with the Istanbul-based club earlier this year but has since stepped away without publicly explaining why. That decision could have major implications for her return to the WNBA, given the rules that govern player movement between leagues.

Since the league’s formation in 1997, the WNBA has operated under FIBA’s “letter of clearance” system. The rule requires players to prove they have fulfilled all contractual obligations before joining another team abroad or returning to their WNBA club. Without that clearance, a player cannot legally compete in another FIBA-sanctioned league.

“We have had an agreement with FIBA for as long as the WNBA has been in existence requiring players to be cleared in both directions when they play overseas and in the WNBA,” a league spokesperson told Front Office Sports. “There is nothing new or different with this situation.”

Multiple sources cited in the report said the WNBA has already provided its clearance letter to Fenerbahçe. However, Malonga will still need a release from the Turkish Basketball Federation in order to play next season. If Fenerbahçe pursues legal action claiming a contract violation, that clearance could be withheld until the matter is resolved.

Should that happen, FIBA would be responsible for reviewing the case and determining whether Malonga had “just cause” for terminating her agreement. The Seattle Storm, Malonga’s WNBA team, declined to comment when reached by Front Office Sports. An email sent to Fenerbahçe’s media office went unanswered.

Malonga, 19, revealed in a recent TikTok video that she underwent surgery to repair a dislocated tendon in her wrist following her rookie season. She said she expects to remain in a cast for six weeks as part of her recovery process.

The 6-foot-4 center earned $78,831 during her debut campaign with Seattle, where she quickly emerged as one of the league’s most promising young international players. Her combination of athleticism and defensive ability made her one of the most talked-about prospects entering the 2025 season.

The timing of the dispute comes as the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement. The current deal expires Oct. 31, with both sides expected to extend talks into next year.

If the 2026 WNBA season begins in May as scheduled, Malonga and Fenerbahçe would have roughly six months to resolve their disagreement and clear her for a return.

For now, one of the league’s most exciting young players faces an uncertain path — caught between leagues, regulations, and recovery as she waits for her next opportunity to step back onto the court.