Los Angeles Sparks select Sarah Ashlee Barker with No. 9 overall overall pick in 2025 NBA Draft
The Los Angeles Sparks select Alabama Crimson Tide star Sarah Ashlee Barker at No. 9 overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft. Barker joined the WNBA after spending the last three seasons at Alabama.
Barker began her college career at Georgia in 2020. In her first season, the Alabama native played in 24 games and averaged 5.1 points. During the 2021-22 season, Baker started in all 31 games and averaged 7.7 points and had a free throw percentage of 72.7 percent.
Baker transferred to Alabama for the 2022-23 season and averaged 6.9 points and 31 games. She improved her game the following year, tallying 16.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per contest, and that led to her being named to the All-SEC First Team. Last year, Barker was selected to the All-SEC First Team again, recording 18.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.
ESPN’s Andraya Carter gave her analysis of Barker ahead of the draft. “I haven’t seen her in person since maybe her freshman year at Georgia,” Carter said, per The Crimson White. “Seeing her in Tampa over the weekend, I even told her, ‘You’re a lot bigger than I thought you here.’ She has a big strong frame and I think the competitive edge that she plays will be appealing.”
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What WNBA Draft experts are saying about Sarah Ashlee Barker
Carter shared more about Barker in a pre-draft conference call. “She gets downhill. She’s very long, has a good size, and is an aggressive shot hunter and I think that’s one of the things that stands out about her,” she said, per Tide 100.9 FM. “Sarah Ashlee Barker is just tough. She’s tough. She’s physical. She’s such a competitor. She has a big strong frame. I think the competitive edge that she plays with will be appealing; she has a chip on her shoulder, is physical, not afraid to take contact, not afraid to hit the ground, and led Alabama in a lot of different ways.”
Sara Ashlee Barker played high school basketball at Spain Park in Hoover, Alabama. She was named Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year in 2020 after averaging 23.2 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.9 steals.