Madina Okot Credits Angel Reese for Support During Rookie Transition

To the uninformed, Atlanta drafted Madina Okot to address the void in the frontcourt left by Brittney Griner, who departed for the Connecticut Sun in free agency.

At 6’6, Okot gives the Dream a size presence to pair alongside Angel Reese, who led the WNBA with 12.6 rebounds per game last season and posted 23 double-doubles. Her addition will result in a frontcourt built around two relentless rebounders, with one of them still learning the game.

That being said, Okot, in her final college season with the Gamecocks, averaged 12.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, and shot 57.5% from the field across 39 games. She ranked third nationally in double-doubles with 22, and was the team’s top rebounder in 29 of those games. South Carolina, led by Dawn Staley, reached the NCAA championship final before falling to UCLA in April.

However, Madina Okot’s path to the WNBA is unlike most players in the league.

Madina Okot Started Professional Basketball Just Six Years Ago

Okot gravitated toward volleyball during her initial days as an athlete before transitioning to basketball in 2020 at age 16, only picking up the sport after being introduced to the game by Kenya national team coach Philip Onyango.

After developing with the Kenyan national program, she came to the United States, spending one season at Mississippi State before transferring to South Carolina for her final collegiate year.