Madina Okot, a Kenyan basketball player, overcame multiple US visa rejections to be drafted by the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA. Her emotional journey highlights the challenges faced by international athletes pursuing their dreams.
Key points
Madina Okot is a Kenyan basketball player.
She was drafted by the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA.
Okot faced four visa rejections before moving to the US.
Her WNBA draft took place on April 13, 2026.
She expressed nervousness during the draft event.
Madina OkotAtlanta Dream
This is a formal photograph taken on stage at the 2026 WNBA draft. Two people stand side by side holding up an orange‑red Atlanta basketball jersey with the number 26. One, who is significantly taller, wears a reddish‑pink pinstripe suit with a white shirt and tie, while the other wears a green sequined dress. The background features bright orange and red stage lighting, creating a lively draft‑night atmosphere
Madina Okot (right) was drafted by WNBA side Atlanta Dream, but she almost gave up on moving to the United States after being rejected for a visa four times [Getty Images]
On the night that changed her life, Madina Okot sat quietly.
The Kenyan was waiting, hoping and praying that her name would be called at the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) draft in New York.
"I was so nervous," she told BBC Sport Africa, reflecting on those moments inside the venue on 13 April.
"When I heard my name, it was like a dream. Am I here? Am I really doing this?"
The 21-year-old did not have to wait long - she was selected in the first round, and 13th overall, by the Atlanta Dream.
The third Kenyan to be chosen in the WNBA draft, Okot is the highest pick ever from her country.
Perhaps even more impressive, the centre, who stands 6ft 6in tall, has joined the world's top professional league just six years after touching a basketball for the first time.
Her game blends physicality, tenacity and versatility, making her an efficient scorer and a solid defensive anchor.
But reaching the WNBA has not been straightforward.
Okot's US visa battle
Q&A
What challenges did Madina Okot face regarding her US visa?
Madina Okot faced the challenge of being rejected for a US visa four times before finally being able to move to the United States.
Which WNBA team drafted Madina Okot?
Madina Okot was drafted by the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA.
When was Madina Okot drafted into the WNBA?
Madina Okot was drafted into the WNBA on April 13, 2026.
How did Madina Okot feel during the WNBA draft?
Madina Okot felt extremely nervous while waiting for her name to be called during the WNBA draft.
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Basketball player Madina Okot stands on an indoor court holding an orange basketball at waist height in her left hand. She wears a white South Carolina jersey with the number 11 on the chest and a white headband, with long dark hair falling over the shoulders. A basketball hoop and blurred spectators are visible in the background under bright arena lighting
Okot impressed for the South Carolina Gamecocks this season, helping the side to the national championship final [Getty Images]
Okot's journey began far from the spotlight as the fifth of eight children in her hometown of Mumias in western Kenya.
She initially excelled in volleyball at Bishop Sulumeti High School in Kakamega County before being persuaded to move across the country in 2020 to join Kaya Tiwi Secondary, a school on the east coast near Mombasa which has produced some of Kenyan basketball's biggest names.
"I was almost scared to try basketball," she recalled.
"But when I started playing I fell in love with the game so quickly."
Her raw talent propelled her through Kenya's national youth teams, with college sides in the United States alerted to her potential after she featured in the 3x3 basketball tournament at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
However, getting into the USA tested her resilience, as Okot faced no fewer than four visa rejections in her bids to join Troy University in Alabama and then Eastern Michigan University.
"It was tough. I felt like giving up several times," Okot revealed.
"The second, third and fourth one I cried so hard.
"I had a security guard taking me to my [taxi]. I felt so bad."
Having questioned whether to continue a process she described as "so heart-breaking, so discouraging", Okot believes her parents' prayers and her own resolve ultimately carried her through.
Relief finally came on a day in August 2024 that was already marked for celebration.
"The day that I got my visa was my birthday," she said with a broad smile across her face.
"That was my best birthday gift I've ever got.
"I'm so grateful to my mum and my dad and everybody else that kept convincing me to keep trying."
The call from the WNBA
Angel Reese stands on an indoor court wearing a red USA basketball jersey with the number nine on the front and a red headband. One hand rests near the waist while the other arm is raised slightly, pointing forward. Blue arena seats and blurred figures are visible in the background under bright lighting
Okot will be a team-mate of two-time WNBA All-Star Angel Reese at the Atlanta Dream [Getty Images]
It was fifth time lucky for Okot, who joined Mississippi State for 2024-25 before transferring to the University of South Carolina in April last year.
This season she led her conference in rebounds - averaging 10.6 per game - and was instrumental in the Gamecocks' run to the national championship final earlier this month, where they were beaten 79-51 by the University of California, Los Angeles Bruins in front of nearly 16,000 spectators in Phoenix.
Okot's first professional campaign begins on 8 May, with established stars such as two-time WNBA All-Star Angel Reese part of the Atlanta Dream roster.
"I've been watching her since I was in high school," Okot said.
"I know she's going to be like a sister to me. She's going to teach me so many things.
"My goals are to keep growing my game and to learn from experienced players."
Okot brings size and defensive ability but she is realistic about the adjustment required at the sport's highest level.
And while she will also have an African team-mate to lean on for support, with Malian Sika Kone entering her fourth season in the WNBA, Okot understands the importance of her position as a role model for players from the continent.
"Honestly, it's a very big honour for me to be representing all those people back home.
"I just want to let them know that we (African women) really belong to any stage. If you really commit to work and believe, it can happen."
A journey still taking shape
Madina Okoto, standing on a stepladder with a pair of scissors in her left hand, holds aloft a piece of basketball net which she has just cut off a basketball hoop next to her. She is wearing a predominantly white t-shirt and white headband, and is beaming with a smile
Okot is the third Kenyan to be drafted into the WNBA after Josephine Owino (a third-round pick in 2009) and Olivia Nelson-Ododa (a second-round selection in 2022) [Getty Images]
Okot describes herself as quiet by nature, with a love for pink and white colours, gospel music and ugali, a traditional East African food made from cornflour.
Despite her years in the USA, it is a sign that she still sees herself as the new arrival on the scene.
"I'm so excited to meet the players that I've been watching growing up. But I still can't believe that it's me doing this," she said.
"I'm just excited to work with them, learn so much and create memories."
Her rise has come at a time when women's sport is growing, but access and resources remain uneven, especially in Africa.
Okot is therefore keen to stress the importance of hard work.
"You don't have to have perfect facilities to start.
"Just stay locked in [and] don't stop chasing your dreams.
"I just want to be a kind of player that young girls will be looking at and be like, 'I want to be like Madina'.
"There's always somebody watching. That is how people get opportunities."
