Renowned Kenyan basketball coach Philip Onyango recently shared the nostalgic and humorous story of his first encounter with Madina Okot, following her historic selection in the WNBA draft.
As a veteran in the sport, Onyango has built a reputation for nurturing top-tier talent, including stars like Felmas Koranga and now Okot. Speaking to local media, he expressed immense pride in Okot’s achievement, noting that she is the second player he has mentored to reach the world’s most elite women’s basketball league.
Onyango’s journey with the star athlete began in 2018 at a sports event held at Hill School in Eldoret. Surprisingly, Okot was not playing basketball at the time; she was competing as a volleyball player. Recognizing her immense athletic potential, Onyango approached her with the hope of convincing her to switch sports. However, his initial scouting mission didn’t exactly go to plan.
The coach laughed as he remembered how the young athlete initially brushed off his professional interest. In an effort to avoid the conversation, she gave him fake contact details.
“I tried to get the girl’s contact, but she dodged me and gave me the wrong numbers that could not go through,” he said.
Onyango refused to give up, though he initially struggled to track down Okot’s parents. His persistence paid off when he crossed paths with her again during a national sports event in Kisumu, where she was still competing with her volleyball team. Seizing the opportunity at the Kisumu Girls’ games, he finally convinced her to share her parents’ contact information so he could make his pitch.
To win over her father, Onyango relied on his proven history of securing futures for young athletes. He explained that his coaching had already paved the way for over 30 players to earn basketball scholarships in the United States. This track record eventually persuaded her father to enroll Okot at the sports giant Kaya Tiwi High School, a move that would fundamentally change her career trajectory.
“I convinced the father that I have over 30 players who are in America on basketball scholarships since I started coaching,” Onyango said.
However, the transition was not without its hurdles. The volleyball community resisted the move, reluctant to lose such a promising talent to another sport. Fortunately, a prominent figure in the volleyball world stepped in to ease the tension. Paul Bitok, who then served as the Kenya Volleyball senior coach and later became the Federation’s Vice President, voiced his approval of the move to reassure his colleagues.
“Bitok went to their volleyball WhatsApp group and told the volleyballer that if Medina has joined Kaya Tiwi under Philip Onyango, the girl is in safe hands,” Onyango said.
Madina Okot made history as the Atlanta Dream selected her in the first round of the 2026 WNBA Draft. The 21-year-old center secured the 13th overall pick following a dominant single season at the University of South Carolina, where she quickly established herself as a force in the paint.
Her rise to the professional ranks follows an exceptional 2025–26 collegiate campaign. During that standout season, Okot proved her consistency and elite athleticism by averaging a double-double, recording 12.8 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. Her transition from a promising prospect in Eldoret to a first-round WNBA pick marks a monumental milestone for Kenyan basketball on the global stage.
