President William Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto made a special courtside appearance in Brooklyn, New York, where they watched Kenyan-born basketball star Madina Okot in action for the Atlanta Dream against the New York Liberty.
The First Couple attended the game at Barclays Center on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, during President Ruto’s visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly.
Ruto said he was at the match specifically to support Okot, who is in her debut WNBA season.
The President and Rachel Ruto were pictured interacting with Okot courtside, with the trio also capturing a memorable selfie.
Ruto watched the game alongside NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum and representatives of NBA Africa.
Okot makes history
The appearance came at a significant point in Okot’s basketball career.
The 22-year-old, who hails from Mumias, became the first Kenyan selected in the first round of the WNBA Draft when the Atlanta Dream picked her 13th overall in April 2026.
Her selection marked a major milestone for Kenyan basketball, putting a player from the country on one of the world’s biggest women’s professional basketball stages.
Okot has subsequently become part of Atlanta’s roster as the team pushed toward the WNBA playoffs.
Atlanta Dream secure playoff position
The match itself ended in a convincing 83-65 victory for Atlanta.
The win gave the Dream a 30-14 regular-season record and secured the fourth seed, along with home-court advantage in the opening round of the playoffs.
Okot came off the bench and made a brief appearance, finishing with two points and two rebounds.
Atlanta’s Allisha Gray led the Dream with 24 points, while Naz Hillmon contributed 16 as the visitors built a 41-26 halftime advantage.
Okot grateful for Ruto’s support
Speaking after the game, Okot described President Ruto’s attendance as a great honour and said his presence demonstrated his support for sports in Kenya.
She also expressed hope that her journey in the WNBA could help create opportunities for more Kenyan girls interested in basketball.
“I’m the only Kenyan over here and it just shows how much he supports sports at home. I hope that this opens up opportunities for other girls,” Okot told The Associated Press.
The young basketball star also revealed that she had the opportunity to speak Swahili with President Ruto and the First Lady during their meeting.
“I got to talk some Swahili today,” Okot said, describing the encounter as a memorable moment.
A moment of pride for Kenyan basketball
Ruto’s appearance placed additional attention on Okot’s rapid rise from Kenya to the WNBA.
Her draft selection and first professional season have provided a new international platform for Kenyan women’s basketball.
The visit also came as the President was in New York for the 81st United Nations General Assembly, where he was attending high-level meetings and engagements before taking time to watch the Kenyan-born player compete.
For Okot, the evening therefore carried significance beyond the result on the scoreboard: she had the President and First Lady of her home country watching her compete on one of basketball’s biggest stages, while her Atlanta team secured a crucial playoff position.
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