Mississippi State center Madina Okot has entered the transfer portal and at least one powerhouse is closing in. Okot visited South Carolina this weekend and many are speculating that Dawn Staley is closing in on a commitment. But until and unless it happens, it’s not over (and sometimes, in college basketball, ever THEN, it’s not over).
Okot hails from Kenya and came to American college basketball for her junior season at Mississippi State. Okot average 11.3 points and 9.6 rebounds per game for the Bulldogs. Listed at 6-foot-5 or 6-foot-6, few teams have the kind of inside presence that Okot can provide. Here’s a rundown of five possible portal landing spots for Okot
Top 5 transfer portal landing spots for Madina Okot
5. USC
Kiki Iriafen held down the post for the Trojans this year, but now she’s a WNBA player, so there’s a definite spot here. On a talent-filled roster than will include a healed-and-gunning-for-everyone JuJu Watkins, USC seems likely to be a force next season. Okot would fill their one significant need for a low-post scorer and rebounder to hang with the few teams with a dominant low-block star.
4. Duke
Star forward Toby Fornier will be back at Duke, but Fornier isn’t a dominant rebounder and Okot would fit well. The Blue Devils had a talented and deep backcourt, although the loss of Oluchi Okananwa to the portal hurts there. But adding a true center inside might jump the Blue Devils to the list of title contenders for 2026.
3. Kentucky
The Wildcats do have Clara Strack inside, but there’s no law that UK couldn’t go with a twin towers set. Kentucky had a talented and scrappy team in Kenny Brooks’s first year, but a massive presence on the glass could help a team that seems likely to be fairly wing-heavy. Kentucky made a massive jump in Brooks’s first year and getting Okot could help them make another leap.
2. Tennessee
Lazaria Spearman is the post threat for the Vols, but much like Kentucky, there’s no reason to say two bigs wouldn’t be twice as effective. Tennessee has been chasing an imposing history, but adding a second stand-out post player could boost the Lady Vols back closer to their Pat Summit roots. Okot might just be the answer.
1. South Carolina
Yes, all early signs point here. Saniya Feagin is in the WNBA and Dawn Staley learned in the NCAA title game that she has to match up somebody with Sarah Strong. Okot is a likely candidate. Add in her ongoing visit to Columbia and it’s not hard to see Staley and the Gamecocks coming up with another big win in the off-season recruiting world.
What do you think of Okot’s portal options? Share your take below in our comments section!
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Edited by Joe Cox
