President William Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto share a moment with Madina Okot after Atlanta Dream’s game in Brooklyn.
The President and First Lady watched the Kenyan basketball star help Atlanta Dream beat New York Liberty before sharing a courtside meeting and selfie.
President William Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto met Kenyan basketball player Madina Okot in Brooklyn after watching her Atlanta Dream side defeat New York Liberty 83-65 at Barclays Center.
The encounter on Wednesday, September 23, brought Kenya’s First Family together with the WNBA player during the President’s visit to New York for the 81st United Nations General Assembly. Ruto stepped away from his official programme to attend the game and support Okot in her debut season.
After the match, the President and First Lady joined Okot on the court, exchanging greetings and sharing a light-hearted moment. Ruto also took a selfie with Rachel and the basketball star.
A courtside connection with home
For Okot, the visit carried significance beyond the result. She described the President’s presence as an honour and expressed appreciation that he had made time to watch her play.
Speaking after the game, Okot pointed to her position as the only Kenyan there and said Ruto’s attendance reflected his support for sport back home. She also spoke about the pleasure of being able to converse in Swahili with the President and First Lady.
The post-match exchange gave Okot a chance to connect personally with the visiting Kenyan leaders while continuing her first season in the American league. Her comments centred on both her gratitude for their support and her hopes for other Kenyan players.
Atlanta secure victory over New York
Atlanta Dream finished the night with an 83-65 victory over New York Liberty. Okot contributed two points and two rebounds in the game watched by Ruto and Rachel.
NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum and members of NBA Africa were also present with the President and First Lady. The basketball outing formed part of Ruto’s time in New York, where his official engagements centred on the United Nations General Assembly.
Okot hopes to open doors for Kenyan girls
Okot joined Atlanta after being chosen 13th overall in the 2026 WNBA Draft. That selection formed part of a basketball journey that took her from Kenya through the American collegiate system and into the professional women’s league.
She became the first Kenyan woman to reach and play in the WNBA, giving her debut campaign a place in the country’s basketball history. The Brooklyn fixture was another appearance in that opening season.
Beyond her own progress, Okot expressed hope that her experience would help create opportunities for more Kenyan girls to pursue basketball. Her meeting with Ruto and Rachel brought that ambition into focus alongside a winning night for Atlanta.
