UCLA lands coveted Texas A&M transfer Janiah Barker

Janiah Barker – one of the top remaining players available in the women’s college basketball transfer portal – is off the board.

Barker, who finished her sophomore season at Texas A&M averaging 12.2 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals, announced her transfer commitment to UCLA on Tuesday. The pledge is another major boost for the Bruins, who were already one of the big winners of the portal season.

Janiah Barker, a 6-foot-4 forward, arrives at Westwood with one of the strongest resumes around. She is a former No. 3 recruit in the country and she was a WBCA, McDonalds and Jordan Brand All-American from her time in high school.

She was somewhat limited during her freshman year at A&M because of an injury, but the sky’s the limit for her potential at UCLA.

“Janiah is a three-level scorer that just hasn’t seemed to show her true capabilities yet,” one coach in the SEC told On3. “She can literally do it all if she’s motivated and in the right system.” 

Janiah Barker adds to impressive UCLA class

Even before Janiah Barker’s addition, the Bruins built one of the most impressive transfer classes this offseason.

The Bruins added one of the best point guards in the country in Washington State transfer Charlisse Leger-Walker, who will help replace the production of Charisma Osborne.

Leger-Walker averaged 13.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists last season as a senior. The Bruins also added Oregon State sophomore transfer Timea Gardiner (11.6 ppg, 7 rpg) who has two years of eligibility remaining. 

“Timea is a perfect fit for us,” UCLA coach Cori Close said. “We are so excited! She is a versatile forward, an elite shooter, passionate about winning and becoming a pro, and she has a high basketball IQ. All that, and her character is even better. “