Dawn Staley Sees “Beast Potential” in New Gamecock Center Madina Okot
South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley has coached some of the most dominant post players in the sport — from A’ja Wilson to Aliyah Boston, and more recently Kamilla Cardoso and Alaina Coates. Now, Staley believes she may have another elite name to add to that list in transfer center Madina Okot.
During Thursday night’s “Carolina Calls” show, Staley spoke highly of the 6-foot-6 transfer from Mississippi State, describing Okot as “an imposing presence” in the paint. Gamecock fans have already seen flashes of that dominance early in the season.
Okot impressed in her South Carolina debut Monday night, scoring 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting against Grand Canyon. In the team’s exhibition game against Anderson two weeks earlier, she put up 17 points, 15 rebounds, and six blocks in just 23 minutes — numbers that hint at her ability to take over a game on both ends of the court.
Staley emphasized that Okot’s impact isn’t just about her size. “[Madina] is probably one of the strongest individuals that we’ve ever had,” Staley said. But as always, the coach mixed her praise with a challenge. “We need her to impose that strength on the opponent,” she added. “She’s very nice… We need to bring the beast out of her.”
Okot has started each of South Carolina’s games so far, stepping into a crucial role after season-ending injuries to Chloe Kitts and Ashlyn Watkins. With those absences, Okot, Adhel Tac, and Joyce Edwards — the 2024-25 Freshman All-American — are expected to shoulder the bulk of the minutes in the frontcourt.
Although she’s quiet off the court, Okot’s presence on the floor speaks volumes. At Mississippi State, she came close to averaging a double-double and was a consistent force on the glass, grabbing 10 or more rebounds in 17 games, including a staggering 23-rebound performance against Vanderbilt. She also averaged more than one block per game.
Staley believes there’s still untapped potential in Okot’s game. “We need to be more intentional about getting [Okot] the ball,” she said, noting that even with limited shot attempts, Okot scored in double figures 22 times last season. The Gamecock leader sees a mature player with a sky-high ceiling and the physical tools to dominate the SEC.
Okot’s next opportunity to showcase her power inside comes Friday, November 7, when the Gamecocks host Bowling Green — led by former South Carolina assistant Fred Chmiel — at Colonial Life Arena. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m., with streaming available on SEC Network+.
If Staley’s instincts are right, Madina Okot might be the next great name in a long line of legendary Gamecock post players.
