Basketball sensation Madina Okot played her first game at Mississippi State College on Friday, November 8, 2024 at Humphrey Coliseum

The 20-year-old freshman finished the game with 14 points and 17 rebounds in 22 minutes to help her team secure its first victory in the NCAA women’s basketball 2024-2025 season.

The sky is the limit for Okot, whose dreams of playing professional basketball were made possible after being granted her US visa in her fifth application.

“I went to the US Embassy, and my visa was approved. I’m so happy about it; being denied four times has not been easy. I kept going, and I did not give up. Imagine being rejected four times and still having the energy to go back, and finally, God did it for me,” said Madina.

Madina has become the first ever Kenyan to play in the WNBA. The lady from Mumias stands at 6’6 tall and has a wingspan of 6’10.

Madina is on a full scholarship, her third scholarship in her young basketball career of five years. She attended Kaya Tiwi High School on a full sports scholarship before joining Zetech University on another full scholarship as she turned out for Zetech Sparks in the women’s premier league.

Mississippi State head coach commended the teams rebounding for helping them past Memphis in their 100-56 win

“Man, this team can be special. I honestly didn’t know what to expect because there’s so many new pieces and so many different faces,” coach Purcell said after the win. “I was concerned about a couple of things. Memphis rebounding, we had to keep them off the boards, and for us to win 61-33 tells me a lot about my team.”

Madina’s Basketball Journey.

Okot played at Zetech University under coach Maurice Obie. Her talent quickly gained recognition, leading to her debut with the Kenya FIBA 3×3 Senior Team at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Later that year, she helped the U23 Kenyan National Team qualify for the 2022 FIBA World Championships at the Nations League Africa.

In 2024, Okot led Kenya to victory at the FIBA 3×3 Africa Cup, securing a spot for the Paris Olympic Games.

She also made history as the only African player selected for the inaugural Women’s World Select Team at the 2023 Nike Hoop Summit, further cementing her place on the global basketball stage.

Okot’s dominance extended to the 5×5 format, where she earned a spot on the 2023 FIBA Africa Women’s Basketball League (AWBL) All-Tournament Team.

Averaging 13.8 points and 13.8 rebounds across four games, she proved herself as a versatile and impactful player in African women’s basketball.