Kenyan centre Madina Okot's bid to become the first Kenyan to win a WNBA championship ended in heartbreak after the Atlanta Dream lost 68-63 to the Golden State Valkyries in Game 7 of the WNBA Finals at Chase Center in San Francisco on Saturday night, 31 October (early Sunday in Kenya).

It was the first Game 7 in the history of the WNBA Finals, and it handed the Valkyries their first championship in only their second season in the league. Okot, a rookie, did not get on the court in the decider: the official box score lists her as "DNP - Coach's Decision".

How the decider unfolded

Golden State raced to an 8-0 start, but Atlanta recovered to lead 30-24 at half-time. The Valkyries edged back in front, 45-44, after the third quarter, and the lead changed hands repeatedly in a tense fourth period before Golden State closed it out.

The difference was Gabby Williams. After scoring just two points in the first half, she poured in 28 after the break, reported as a WNBA Finals record for a single half, to finish with a game-high 30 points and the Finals MVP award. "I wasn't gonna lose on Halloween," Williams said after the game.

Jordin Canada led Atlanta with 18 points and Allisha Gray added 16, while Angel Reese pulled down 12 rebounds but managed only one point in the final quarter.

A seven-game rollercoaster

The series swung back and forth. Golden State took an early lead, Atlanta won two straight to go 2-1 up, and the Valkyries then won twice in a row to lead 3-2. The Dream forced a decider with a dominant 80-69 win in Game 6 on 29 October, raising hopes in Kenya that Okot would make history.

Kenyan outlets followed the series closely, with K24 describing Okot's dream of making history as "painfully cut short" by the Game 7 defeat.

Okot's journey

Okot, a 6ft 6in centre from Mumias in Kakamega County, only switched from volleyball to basketball in 2020. She caught the eye of American college scouts while playing 3x3 basketball for Kenya at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and was reportedly denied a US visa four times before she finally got to play college basketball at Mississippi State and later South Carolina.

Atlanta picked her 13th overall in the 2026 WNBA Draft, making her the highest-drafted Kenyan in league history. Although Saturday's result denies her a ring, reaching the Finals in her debut season keeps her among the most closely watched Kenyan athletes abroad as she heads into her second campaign.

Photos: K24 Digital; Sarah Stierch / Wikimedia Commons (CC0). Thumbnail design: HAMASTA MEDIA.