Kenya has a new sporting trailblazer.
Madina Okot etched her name into the history books after being selected 13th overall by the Atlanta Dream in the 2026 WNBA Draft held in New York City on Monday night.
The 6-foot-6 center becomes one of the few Kenyan players to break into the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA)—and the first to be picked in the first round—marking a major milestone for the country’s growing basketball profile.
Okot’s rise has been as rapid as it is remarkable. Having only taken up basketball in 2020, she has quickly climbed through the ranks, moving from local courts in Kenya to the elite level of U.S. college basketball.
Her most recent season with the South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball was nothing short of outstanding. She played a key role in the team’s run to the NCAA Division I Women’s Championship final, establishing herself as one of the most dominant centers in college basketball.
Across the season, Okot averaged 12.8 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, while shooting an impressive 57.5 percent from the field. She also recorded 22 double-doubles, underlining her consistency and impact on both ends of the court.
Before her move to South Carolina, Okot starred for the Mississippi State Bulldogs women’s basketball after beginning her journey at Zetech University in Kenya.
Her selection now places her among basketball’s elite, as she joins an Atlanta Dream squad featuring established stars such as Angel Reese and Allisha Gray. Her arrival is expected to strengthen the team’s frontcourt with her size, rebounding strength, and versatility.
Speaking after the draft, Okot reflected on her journey and the significance of the moment.
“I had to be obsessed with details. This is not just for me—it is for all of Kenya, and I hope it makes us believe we belong at any stage,” she said.
Okot is expected to report to training camp on April 19 as the team prepares for the new season, with preseason games set to begin later in the month ahead of the WNBA regular season tip-off on May 8.
Her story—from picking up the game just a few years ago to reaching the global stage—now stands as one of the most inspiring in Kenyan sport, signaling a new era of possibility for aspiring basketball players across the country.
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