Kenyan-born basketball sensation Madina Okot on verge of joining WNBA

At 6-foot-6, Okot heads into the draft on the back of an impressive 2025/26 campaign with the South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball, where she established herself as one of the most productive frontcourt players in women’s college basketball.

Her contributions were instrumental in the Gamecocks’ run to the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship final, showcasing her ability to perform at the highest level of the collegiate game.

"Madina brought so much to our team this year, both on the court and off,” said head coach Dawn Staley. “She is incredibly young in her basketball career, but her maturity and desire to improve go well beyond those years. We’ve seen tremendous growth over the season, and everyone around our program is excited to see her thrive at the next level.”

Okot’s rise has been nothing short of remarkable. Having only picked up the sport in 2020, she began her journey in Kenya with Zetech University before moving to the United States collegiate system. She first featured for the Mississippi State Bulldogs women's basketball team, then made a decisive step forward after transferring to South Carolina.

Late last season, the 21-year-old had been expected to benefit from an extra year of eligibility. Still, on Wednesday, South Carolina announced that their competition waiver submitted to the NCAA had been denied. The decision confirmed that the Gamecock senior had exhausted her collegiate eligibility.

Reflecting on her journey, Okot described the moment as surreal. “Sometimes I wake up, and I’m like, ‘Am I really here?’ It feels like a dream because of what I’ve been through,” she said in an interview with The Athletic. “I’m just so grateful. Every day feels like an opportunity to chase what I once dreamed about.”

Her performance snapshot: 12.8 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, 57.5% field goal shooting and 44.8% from three-point range and 22 double-doubles, tied for the most among Power Conference players

Her rare blend of size, rebounding dominance, and perimeter efficiency has made her one of the most versatile bigs in this year’s draft class.

Okot is widely projected as a high first-round selection across multiple mock drafts. One anonymous WNBA general manager, speaking to The Athletic, highlighted her upside: “She’s the prototypical draft prospect, you’re drafting on potential. Her improvement has been eye-opening, and she’s shown the ability to stretch the floor at her size. She rebounds at a very high level. I think she’s a first-round pick.”

Should those projections materialise, Okot would make history as the highest-drafted Kenyan player across both the WNBA and NBA, further cementing her place among the country’s trailblazing athletes on the global basketball stage.

Okot’s rapid ascent, from discovering the game in 2020 to competing in an NCAA Championship final and now entering the WNBA Draft, underscores both her talent and determination.