The future of South Carolina Gamecocks center Madina Okot has not yet been set, but a recent ruling handed to her by the sport’s officials may indicate where she will vie for next. On Wednesday, it was reported that Okot is no longer permitted to return to Dawn Staley’s program in the 2026-27 season after just one year with the team.
This is because Okot and her South Carolina-based program’s request for an additional year of college hoops eligibility has just been denied by the NCAA. This means that Okot is now eligible for this year’s WNBA Draft, to be held on Monday, at The Shed at Hudson Yards in New York City. Mock drafts expect Okot to be selected in the mid to late parts of the first round.
After playing just one year at South Carolina, Okot will have to bid goodbye to her squad. Throughout the 2025-26 campaign, Staley and her staff tried all they could to extend Okot’s stay with them. The Mumias, Kenya native, transferred to the Gamecocks in the 2025 offseason after spending one year with coach Sam Purcell’s Mississippi State Bulldogs in the 2024-25 season.
There, Okot blossomed into a formidable force down low, as she averaged 11.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.1 blocks in around 22.6 minutes in 34 games played. She helped the Mississippi-based program reach the 2025 NCAA Tournament, and was eliminated in the second round by coach Lindsay Gottlieb’s USC Trojans, 96-59. The Bulldogs finished that year with an overall record of 22-12 (7-9 SEC).
The senior bumped those numbers up with the Gamecocks, tallying around 12.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.4 blocks in 23.3 minutes in 39 games played. The reason why Okot only had a couple of years of NCAA eligibility is that she had already played college hoops in her home country. Okot started playing collegiate basketball in Kenya in 2020 with Kaya Tiwi Secondary School, then made it to Zetech University before heading to the United States.
Madina Okot Can No Longer Seek Retribution After The Loss In The 2026 NCAA Title Game
Madina Okot was a key cog for coach Dawn Staley‘s South Carolina Gamecocks all the way to their 2026 national championship game.
Unfortunately for Okot and company, they could not get the job done, as they lost to coach Cori Close’s UCLA Bruins by a staggering 28 points, 79-51.
Perhaps what hurts Okot the most is the fact that she can no longer return to her team in hopes of seeking retribution in the 2026-27 campaign.
Also Read: Madina Okot WNBA Draft: 3 Potential Destinations for South Carolina Star
Read More: Madina Okot South Carolina Future: Will Gamecocks Star Get Extra Year Of Eligibility?
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