Biography
Okot is from Mumias, Kenya. [1] Okot first played volleyball at Bishop Sulumeti High School. [2] In 2020, Okot first started playing basketball, [3] after transferring to Kaya Tiwi High School. [4] At the time, she had no knowledge of the sport. [2] Standing 6'6' or '78 inches (200 cm), [5] she soon distinguished herself on the court. At age 17, Okot was named to the Kenyan national basketball team where she competed for Kenya's FIBA 3x3 U23 team. [5] By 2022, she was recognized at the Kenyan national sporting awards as the most promising female athlete in the country at the Kenyan Sports Personality of the Year awards.
Visa issues
In 2022, Okot's appearance playing for the 3x3 team in the 2022 Commonwealth Games caught the attention of Eastern Michigan University scouts, but visa issues prevented her from attending university in the United States. [1] Okot remained in Kenya and played university basketball for Zetech University in Kenya for two seasons while her visa issues were worked out. [6] [4] That year, Okot signed for the Kenya Ports Authority team. That season, they claimed the Kenya Basketball Federation league title. [4] [7]
In 2023, Okot continued to play for Zetech [8] and led the Kenya Ports Authority team to second place in the FIBA Africa Women's Basketball League and was named the Team of the Tournament. [9] That year she was the only African player to make the World Select Women's Team roster at the Nike Hoop Summit. [4] [2] [10] Also in 2023, Okot was named to the Kenya Lionesses 5-aside national team, where she played in the FIBA Women's AfroBasket qualifiers. [4] In a pre-qualifier to the Paris Olympics, Okot was named Most Valuable Player at the 3x3 Africa Cup competition, and won the Africa Cup. [2]
Mississippi State
Her junior year, Okot successfully transferred to the United States after signing for Mississippi State. Her United States visa had been turned down four times before she was successful. [11] [12] Head coach Sam Purcell described Okot as "the definition of a diamond in the rough". [1] In her first game, Okot made an impact early, with 14 points and 17 rebounds in her first game. [13] [14] At Mississippi State, Okot distinguished herself as a standout recruit. [15] She would start every game her junior season, [16] averaging 11.2 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. [3] The team's top player, she blocked 38 shots aand forced 46 turnovers. [16] That year, Okot led Mississippi state to the second round of the NCAA tournament. [17] [18] Okot's season included 12 double-doubles, and a season best 21-point, 23-rebound game against Vanderbilt. [19] [20] In April, Okot announced she was entering the transfer portal, which was cited as a major loss to Mississippi. [21]
University of South Carolina
In between her junior and senior years, Okot announced she had transferred to the University of South Carolina to play for Dawn Staley. [3] [22] Her move to South Carolina was widely reported. [23] [24] [6] In transferring, Okot cited her admiration for Staley, [25] South Carolina's coach, and for the opportunity for Carolina's program to produce top players for the WNBA. [26]
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