
More than the Score
More Than The Score
Madina Okot: From Kenya to the WNBA
15 May 2026
18 minutes
Available for over a year
Last month, Madina Okot was picked 13th in the WNBA Draft - the earliest any Kenyan player has been selected in the competition's history. She was chosen by the Atlanta Dream after an impressive college career, even though she only took up basketball six years ago.
She's also not had a straightforward route to the top level of the sport, with multiple rejections along the way, and faced a battle to even earn a visa to come to the US.
Soon after the draft, BBC Africa’s Anita Nkonge spoke to Madina about her journey from Kenya to the US, her story in the sport so far, and her hopes for her future in the WNBA.
More than the Score’s Ade Adedoyin also hears from BBC Africa’s Emmanuel Akindubuwa about what Madina’s career could mean for women’s basketball in Africa.
Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like heavyweight boxing champion Fabio Wardley, Tour de France winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, trailblazing Samoan athlete Alex Rose and cricket superstar Smriti Mandhana, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore
