Sparks, Aces select a pair of Alabama guards

NEW YORK -- The Los Angeles Sparks continued their successful offseason by selecting Alabama guard Sarah Ashlee Barker with the 9th overall pick in the WNBA Draft. Barker is most notable for having a record-breaking performance in this year's NCAA Tournament where she scored 45 points in a loss to Maryland. Meanwhile with the No. 13 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, the Las Vegas Aces selected Alabama guard Aaliyah Nye and at No. 35 Harmoni Turner, a 5-10 guard from Harvard University.

Barker finished her final collegiate season at Alabama averaging 18 points and six rebounds. She also shot a career-high 37% from three-point range. 

Barker, a two-time All-SEC First Team selection, averaged 18.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.0 steals for Alabama this past season, converting an efficient 51.4% from the floor and 37.5 from deep. The 6-foot guard’s collegiate career culminated with a program-record 45-point performance against Maryland, in which she shot 17-for-25 from the field and 4-for-6 from beyond the arc. As a senior, Barker was named to the Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Midseason Team. She also finished the year as a Top-10 finalist for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Award.

“Sarah Ashlee is an elite competitor,” said Sparks General Manager Raegan Pebley. “Her mental makeup, ability to stretch the floor beyond the arc, commitment to defense, willingness to rebound and passing instincts make her the total package. We’re thrilled to add her poise and leadership.”

After beginning her career at Georgia for two seasons, Barker transferred to the University of Alabama, playing the past three campaigns in Tuscaloosa. The Birmingham native became the fifth player in Alabama history to surpass 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 250 assists. As a Bulldog, Barker was named to the 2021 SEC All-Freshman team.

In the second round of the draft, Los Angeles selected Sania Feagin out of South Carolina. Feagin was a presence in the paint as she finished the season with 58 blocks. She will look to handle some early minutes this season as the Sparks await the return of Cameron Brink in early June. 

Feagin, a 6-foot-3 forward, played in three Final Fours in four seasons for the South Carolina Gamecocks, winning the 2022 and 2024 national championships. Last season, she earned SEC All-Defensive Team honors and was a semifinalist for the Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year Award. Feagin averaged 8.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 2025, and her 58 blocks ranked third in the SEC. Last season, the Georgia native shot 60.1% from the field and 79.7% from the free-throw line.

“Sania has shown a commitment to doing what it takes to contribute to a championship culture,” said Pebley.  “She is a strong defender who brings toughness to both sides of the floor. We love what she has accomplished thus far and are excited about her future.”

To finish the night, the Sparks selected Liatu King from Notre Dame. King had a career season for the Fighting Irish where she finished averaging 11 points and ten rebounds per game. She was a huge part of Notre Dame's successful season. King, a 6-foot forward, averaged 11.5 points and 10.4 rebounds per game while shooting 56.3% from the field for Notre Dame in 2025. She ranked 17th in Division I this past season in rebounding average, finishing as a semifinalist for the Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year Award. The Washington D.C. native played her first four seasons for the Pittsburgh Panthers before transferring to the Fighting Irish for her graduate season. 

“Liatu is just scratching the surface of what she can accomplish at the professional level,” Pebley said. “She is an efficient shooter, excellent rebounder and a tenacious defender. Her motor and explosiveness fit the identity of our team.”

The Aces welcomed Nye andi Turner to the team after the draft and are once again one of the teams favored to win the WNBA title this season after winning back-to-back championships from 2022 to 2023.

“Aaliyah Nye is a great addition to the Aces organization,” said Nikki Fargas, Las Vegas Aces president. “She's a player who can consistently knock down a 3-point shot, shooting 45.5% last season while playing in such a competitive conference like the SEC. She's been able to showcase other qualities that help lead her team to postseason play, to get Alabama back to that national level of prominence. Aaliyah Nye also is a very great defensive player who has a very high basketball IQ and we're just excited to have her join the Aces.

“Harmoni is one of those dynamic players that you love watching her style of play, which resembles a player that can score on multiple levels. She can shoot the 3, she can hit the mid-range jumper and she can finish out the rack. We just love the energy that she plays with, and she’s another young lady who brings a wealth of knowledge and a high basketball IQ.”