Madina Okot is heading to Atlanta, after the South Carolina post player was chosen 12th overall by the Dream on Monday night — becoming the 24th Gamecock ever selected in the WNBA Draft.
The Perfect Landing Spot
The fit in Atlanta makes considerable sense on multiple levels. Okot joins former South Carolina standout Allisha Gray, giving the Dream another Gamecock connection. With Brittney Griner departing in free agency, Atlanta enters the season with a clear void in the frontcourt, and Okot arrives as the natural candidate to fill it.
Coach Karl Smesko runs an offensive system that encourages all players to shoot freely, which sets up well for Okot’s developing perimeter game. Her ability to stretch the floor from the post with three-point shooting figures to be a genuine asset within that structure.
She can also expect a warm reception from the stands. Atlanta is the closest WNBA franchise to Columbia, South Carolina, and the Dream has long attracted a devoted Gamecock following. Among those fans is South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley, who holds season tickets with the team.
A Remarkable Rise
Okot was invited to attend the draft in New York alongside teammates Ta’Niya Latson and Raven Johnson, all three projected first-round picks — a reflection of the extraordinary depth of South Carolina’s 2026 draft class.
Her path to professional basketball is unlike almost any other player in this draft class. Raised in Kenya, Okot grew up playing volleyball and did not pick up basketball until 2020. After developing her game in Kenya for two seasons while awaiting her visa, she eventually made her way to Mississippi State for one season before transferring to South Carolina, where she played just one year before declaring for the draft.
Okot appealed to the NCAA, arguing that her two seasons playing in Kenya while awaiting visa clearance should not count against her eligibility. The appeal was denied, leading to her decision to enter the draft.
Despite her limited basketball background, she produced at an elite level in her lone Gamecock season. She averaged 12.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, and 1.0 assists per game, led the SEC in rebounding, and ranked third nationally with 22 double-doubles. WNBA teams viewed her relative inexperience not as a liability, but as evidence of a player who has barely begun to reach her ceiling.
Entering the League at the Right Time
Like her fellow first-round picks, Okot benefits from the landmark shift in WNBA rookie compensation under the league’s new collective bargaining agreement — the first CBA in effect for this draft class.
Under the previous structure, first-round picks earned approximately $78,000 per year, with second and third-round selections earning less. The new deal guarantees every first-round pick a minimum of $289,133 as a rookie — surpassing last season’s supermax salary.
As the 12th overall selection, Okot is set to sign a four-year contract valued at $1,294,367, starting at $289,133 in her first season and rising each year through the duration of the deal.
Okot is the second of three South Carolina players selected in Monday’s draft, joining Raven Johnson (10th overall, Indiana Fever), with Ta’Niya Latson still to come.
