By PHILLIP ORWA
Kenyan basketball star Madina Okot was selected 13th overall by the Atlanta Dream in the 2026 WNBA Draft, held on Monday night, April 13 2026 at The Shed at Hudson Yards in New York City.
With this selection, Okot becomes one of the few Kenyan players to be drafted into the WNBA and the first to be selected in the first round, marking a historic milestone for Kenyan basketball on the global stage.
The 6’6” center enters the professional ranks following an outstanding 2025/26 collegiate season, most recently with the South Carolina Gamecocks.
The 22-year–old Mumias born Okot played a key role in helping the team reach the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship final, competing at the highest level of the college game.
Across the season, she averaged: • 12.8 points and 10.6 rebounds per game • 57.5% field goal shooting and 44.8% from three-point range • 22 double-doubles, tied for the most among players in Power Conference programs Okot’s rise through the game has been nothing short of extraordinary, moving from picking up basketball in 2020 to reaching the professional stage within just a few years.
She began her journey in Kenya with Zetech University before transitioning to the U.S. collegiate system, where she first starred for the Mississippi State Bulldogs prior to her move to the South Carolina Gamecocks. She now joins the Atlanta Dream adding size, versatility, and rebounding presence to a roster that includes WNBA All Stars Angle Reese and Allisha Gray to add to a competitive core in the Eastern Conference.
“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” said Madina Okot
Following the draft, Okot will report to training camp beginning April 19, 2026, as teams begin preparations for the upcoming season.
The training camp period will precede: • Preseason games starting April 25, 2026 • The 2026 WNBA regular season tip-off on May 8, 2026 Her transition to the professional level marks the next phase in a journey that has seen her rise from local beginnings in Kenya to the global stage in just a few years.
