2026 WNBA Finals Feature Record African Representation as Golden State, Atlanta Chase First Title
The 2026 WNBA Finals are set to tip off this Saturday, bringing a major milestone for basketball in Africa. When the Golden State Valkyries host the Atlanta Dream, the championship series will feature the highest number of African-connected players and executives in league history.
In total, four individuals with strong African ties will be on the court or running the front office. Representing Golden State is general manager Ohemaa Nyanin, a Ghanaian-American who became the first executive of African heritage in the WNBA when she took the helm in 2024. Under her watch, the Valkyries went from an expansion team to a powerhouse, making the playoffs in year one and reaching the Finals in year two. Alongside Nyanin is Canadian forward Laeticia Amihere, whose parents are from Ghana. Amihere, a former NCAA champion with South Carolina and an Olympian, is playing in her first WNBA Finals.
On the Atlanta side, the Dream bring two strong African connections. Sika Kone, a talented center from Mali, developed through one of Africa’s top youth programs and was named MVP of the 2021 FIBA Under-19 World Cup. Then there is Madina Okot, a 6-foot-6 center from Kenya who only started playing basketball at age 16. Okot has become a massive star in her home country, so much so that Kenya’s President William Ruto flew to Atlanta in September to watch her play and meet her on the court after a game.
This group of four breaks the previous record of three, set back in 2008 when players Olayinka Sanni and Morenike Atunrase, along with strength coach Mike Ekanem—all of Nigerian heritage—were in the series. African players have a proud history in the WNBA, dating back to the early 2000s when DR Congo’s Mwadi Mabika won two championships with the Los Angeles Sparks, and Senegal’s Astou Ndiaye-Diatta won one with Detroit.
Nigeria remains the powerhouse of African WNBA talent, with five players having reached the Finals, including stars like Liz Cambage and Ezi Magbegor. But countries like Mali, Kenya, Ghana, and Senegal are steadily building their own legacies.
The stakes are incredibly high for both teams this Saturday. Golden State is chasing a title in just their second season, a feat that would cement them as one of the greatest expansion stories in sports history. Atlanta, on the other hand, is looking to finally put an end to heartbreak, having lost three previous Finals in 2010, 2011, and 2013. Whatever the outcome, African basketball fans have a lot to cheer for.
