Sarah Ashlee Barker Eyeing WNBA Regular Season Debut

The Sparks front office waived guard Aari McDonald on Wednesday, which increases Barker's chances of moving up the depth chart and earning more time on the floor this season.

Her early success in Los Angeles has also been on display during practice as the Sparks run a very similar play style to Alabama head coach Kristy Curry and the Crimson Tide.

"There's a lot of plays here that are the exact same play [at Alabama], but it's just called differently," Barker told KIIITV's Howard Megdal at Los Angeles Sparks Media Day on Thursday. "And so for me, the style of play offensively was a pretty easy flow in. That's what I was grateful about was 'Wow, I'm going into a system that was pretty much the exact same system I was in at Alabama.

"There's some kinks and terminology that's different, but the movement, spacing, getting the three off, getting inside out, playing fast and making sure we're making the right decision every single read––that was the same concept we had at Alabama."

Barker was Alabama's first WNBA draftee since the Las Vegas Aces selected Brittany Davis in 2023.

Barker became a star in the 2023-24 season, where she averaged 16.8 points and 6.3 rebounds a game, good for her first of two consecutive First Team All-SEC selections.

This past season, she expanded on her points-per-game total (18.2) while equaling her rebounding mark. She was one of the SEC's most improved players two seasons ago, and saved her very best for last, scoring a school-record 45 points in a Round of 32 loss to Maryland on March 24. That loss ended Barker's college career.

Barker battled an ankle injury this past season, which cost her more than three calendar weeks of action right at the start of conference play. But she made a tremendous impact after her return.

Alabama finished 24-9 in its most successful season under Curry, earning a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Barker, meanwhile, played in 28 games and finished her career as one of the best women's basketball players to wear an Alabama uniform.

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