New york city: Kenyan basketball star Madina Okot was selected 13th overall by the Atlanta Dream in the 2026 Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) Draft, held on Monday night, April 13, 2026, at The Shed at Hudson Yards in New York City. This significant achievement marks Okot as one of the few Kenyan players to make it to the WNBA and the first to be selected in the first round, a historic milestone for Kenyan basketball on the international scene.

According to Kenya News Agency, the 6'6" center enters the professional ranks after an outstanding 2025/26 collegiate season with the South Carolina Gamecocks. Okot played a vital role in propelling the team to the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship final, showcasing her skills at the pinnacle of college basketball. Throughout the season, she averaged 12.8 points, 10.6 rebounds per game, 57.5 percent field goal shooting, 44.8 percent from three-point range, and achieved 22 double-doubles, tying for the most among players in Power Conference programs.

Okot's rapid ascent in basketball is noteworthy, having started her journey in 2020 in Kenya and advancing to the professional stage in a few short years. She began at Zetech University in Kenya before moving to the U.S. collegiate system, initially making her mark with the Mississippi State Bulldogs before transferring to the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Now joining the Atlanta Dream, Okot adds size, versatility, and a strong rebounding presence to a roster that includes WNBA All-Stars Angel Reese and Allisha Gray, bolstering 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," Okot expressed.

Following the draft, Okot will report to training camp beginning April 19, 2026, as teams gear up for the upcoming season. Her transition to the professional level signifies the next phase in a journey that has taken her from local beginnings in Kenya to the global stage in just a few years.