Sarah Ashlee Barker

Sarah Ashlee Barker
Barker with the Portland Fire in 2026
No. 3 – Portland Fire
PositionGuard
LeagueWNBA
Personal information
Born (2001-09-10) September 10, 2001
Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Listed weight173 lb (78 kg)
Career information
High schoolSpain Park (Hoover, Alabama)
College
WNBA draft2025: 1st round, 9th overall pick
Drafted byLos Angeles Sparks
Playing career2025–present
Career history
2025Los Angeles Sparks
2026–presentPortland Fire
Career highlights
Stats at Basketball Reference 

Sarah Ashlee Barker (born September 10, 2001) is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Fire of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball. She played college basketball for the Georgia Lady Bulldogs and Alabama Crimson Tide of the Southeastern Conference. She was selected ninth overall by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2025 WNBA draft.

Early life

As an eighth-grader, Barker was diagnosed with osteochondritis dissecans, a joint condition that eventually required a major four-hour surgery and left her on crutches for six months.[1][2]

High school career

Barker played basketball for Spain Park High School in Hoover, Alabama. She was the 2020 Alabama Gatorade player of the year, 2020 Alabama Sports Writers Association Miss Basketball, and a two-time ASWA Class 7A state player of the year. She averaged 23.2 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.9 steals, and scored more than 2,000 points.[3] On October 8 2018, she committed to Georgia.[4]

College career

Georgia (2020–2022)

In her freshman year, Barker played in 24 games, averaging 5.1 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. She had career highs against App State, with 12 points, 5 assists, and 5 steals. Barker was named to the SEC All-Freshman team. As a sophomore, Barker started every game and scored 14 points in a win against Notre Dame.[5] At the end of the season, she transferred to Alabama.[6]

Alabama (2022–2025)

As a senior, Barker started and played in 33 games, and surpassed 1,000 career points on February 18. She scored a career-high 34 points against Kentucky on January 28. Barker was named to the first-team All-SEC. In her senior year, Barker led Alabama with 17.2 points per game and 2.0 steals per game. She tied her career-high of eight assists against Georgia, Mississippi State, and Green Bay. She was named as a top 10 finalist for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award.[7] In a double-overtime loss to Maryland in the 2025 NCAA women's basketball tournament, Barker scored a program-high 45 points.[8]

Professional career

Los Angeles Sparks (2025–2026)

Barker with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2025

On April 14, 2025, Barker was selected ninth overall by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2025 WNBA draft. [9]

Portland Fire (2026–present)

On April 3, 2026, Barker was selected by the Portland Fire in the 2026 expansion draft.[10] On May 9 she played in the Fire's first-ever league game.[11] In 26 games for Portland, she averaged 10.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. On July 22, Barker suffered a torn ACL during a game against the Dallas Wings; she underwent successful surgery on August 5.[12]

Athletes Unlimited

In October 2025, Barker joined Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball for its fifth season, adding to her professional experience following her rookie year in the WNBA.[13]

Career statistics

WNBA

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game  RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game  BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game
 TO  Turnovers per game  FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 Bold  Career best ° League leader

Regular season

Stats current through end of 2025 season

WNBA regular season statistics[14]
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2025 Los Angeles 34814.1.337.295.7081.90.90.30.11.13.1
Career 1 year, 1 team 34814.1.337.295.7081.90.90.30.11.13.1

College

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game  RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game  BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game
 TO  Turnovers per game  FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 Bold  Career best ° League leader
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2020–21 Georgia 24016.733.327.858.82.71.20.80.21.55.1
2021–22 Georgia 313125.335.930.772.74.02.41.30.42.17.7
2022–23 Alabama 312823.438.229.364.84.82.31.50.62.36.9
2023–24 Alabama 333330.049.135.371.16.32.91.90.53.116.8
2024–25 Alabama 282831.751.437.570.96.33.92.00.83.318.2
Career 14712025.844.332.969.04.92.61.50.52.511.2
Statistics retrieved from Sports-Reference.[15]

Personal life

Barker is the daughter of former professional football player Jay Barker, who was the starting quarterback of Alabama's 1992 national championship winning team, and stepdaughter of country music singer-songwriter Sara Evans. Barker is a Christian.[16]

References

  1. ↑ "Sparks' Sarah Ashlee Barker overcame a debilitating condition to become a pro". Los Angeles Times. April 17, 2025. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  2. ↑ Etheredge, Alec (February 27, 2019). "PROFILE: Sarah Ashlee Barker: SEC-Bound Basketball Star". Shelby County Reporter. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Girls Basketball - Alabama". Gatorade. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Spain Park's Sarah Ashlee Barker commits to Georgia basketball". AL.com. October 8, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Sarah Ashlee Barker". Georgia Bulldogs. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Alabama Women's Basketball Signs Georgia Transfer Sarah Ashlee Barker, North Dakota State Transfer Ryan Cobbins". Alabama Crimson Tide. March 28, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  7. ↑ "Sarah Ashlee Barker". Alabama Crimson Tide. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Sarah Ashlee Barker's Alabama career over, but her NCAA Tournament impact lingers". Tide Sports. March 28, 2025. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  9. ↑ Simonson, Andrew (April 15, 2025). "Spain Park alum, Alabama star Sarah Ashlee Barker drafted by WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks". Shelby County Reporter. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Allemand, Barker drafted in WNBA expansion". Los Angeles Sparks. April 3, 2026. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  11. ↑ "WNBA Portland Fire game schedule". Portland Fire. May 9, 2026. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Portland Fire guard Sarah Ashlee Barker undergoes successful ACL surgery". kptv.com. Retrieved August 15, 2026.
  13. ↑ Jones, Siera (October 8, 2025). "Sarah Ashlee Barker Joins AU Pro Basketball's 2026 Roster". Athletes Unlimited. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Sarah Ashlee Barker WNBA Stats". Basketball Reference.
  15. ↑ "Sarah Ashlee Barker College Stats". Sports-Reference. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  16. ↑ Doering, Joshua (April 15, 2025). "Sarah Ashlee Barker drafted 9th overall by L.A. Sparks, finds 'strength' and 'peace' in the Lord". Sports Spectrum. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
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