Kenya’s Madina Okot Picked By Atlanta Dream in WNBA Draft First Round
NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 14 – Kenya’s Madina Okot on Monday was selected by the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) side Atlanta Dream as a Number 13 pick of the WNBA Draft.
Okot becomes the first Kenyan to be picked in the first round of the WNBA Draft.
Speaking after being selected, Okot, who hails from Mumias, Kenya, revealed that she could not imagine her dream would come true faster than she anticipated.
“Just being here means a lot to me because six years ago, I didn’t see myself here today. My dream was to play professionally in the WNBA. I didn’t know it would be after six years. If I were to go back, I would tell my younger self, I am so proud of her; she never gave up, she had to go through a lot, and kept moving forward.”
Standing at 6’6″, Okot, who most recently featured for the South Carolina Gamecocks, arrives at the draft following a strong 2025/26 season that saw her emerge as one of the most productive frontcourt players in women’s college basketball.
Madina was part of the Gamecocks squad that reached the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship final, becoming the first Kenyan to compete at the highest level of collegiate basketball.
Okot’s progression through the game has been notably accelerated, having only begun playing basketball in 2020.
She started her college career in Kenya, playing for Zetech University, and then spent two years in the U.S. college system, first with the Mississippi State Bulldogs, before transferring to the South Carolina Gamecocks.
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