President William Ruto attended a WNBA game in Brooklyn on Wednesday, Sept. 23, to see Kenyan-born star Madina Okot play for her Atlanta Dream team against the New York Liberty. Ruto, who is in New York for the 81st United Nations General Assembly, watched the game courtside with First Lady Rachel Ruto, NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum and others from NBA Africa.

Atlanta won 83-65 in the regular-season finale, finishing fourth in the league and earning home-court advantage in the first playoff round. Okot, who plays centre for Atlanta, was subbed in for the final minutes and didn’t score or record a rebound in her two-plus minutes, according to the WNBA box score. After the game, Ruto and Rachel met Okot on the court, where the two shared a laugh and took a selfie.

Okot said she was grateful that the president came to see her play.

“That was a very good honor, I appreciate him showing up,” Okot said with a smile. “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. I’m so much blessed to get support from him.”

Okot was also thrilled to be able to speak Swahili with the president and first lady.

“I got to talk some Swahili today. So happy I spoke Swahili to my president and the first lady,” Okot said.

The 22-year-old Okot became the first Kenyan player drafted into the WNBA when Atlanta selected her 13th overall in the 2026 WNBA Draft in April. The former South Carolina player is in her rookie season and has become a popular figure in Kenya, where she has drawn crowds whenever she has played. Ruto had earlier tweeted his congratulations to Okot after her draft day.

Okot said it was a real thrill to see the president at a game, and she was especially happy for the support shown to her and her Kenyan heritage.

“The whole visit is such a great gesture,” Okot said. “It shows a lot of support for me and my journey. I will forever be grateful for the president and first lady for coming out to see the game and for seeing me play.”

The Atlanta Dream organisation also took to Twitter to commend Ruto for his visit, saying the president’s visit showed support for Okot and her Kenyan roots. Ruto, who has spent recent days in New York at the UN General Assembly, has been meeting with various dignitaries during his time in the city.