I don’t often see a WNBA team as a rookie is willing to protect another team’s best player. When they are still acclimated to the league, it’s common to see them struggling hard until their second year.
But it’s not Sarah Ashley Barker.
The Alabama product was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 9th overall pick in the 2025 draft and appeared on Flax’s Los Angeles team. They had just acquired Kelsey Plum through a three-team trade and sent Jewel Lloyd to the Ace in Las Vegas. They had to find a way to add another “Dawg” with the plum without sacrificing the core.
Barker was the answer to that need. Her three-point shooting will be the ultimate strength of Sparks’ offense, but her defensive tenacity and toughness on that edge of the floor have been her perfect opportunity under newly hired head coach Lynn Roberts.
“She has a competitive spirit that I love coaching… She plays her tail and she is one of our best catch-and-shoot three-point shooters, so I hope she continues… I’m really impressed with her mental and physical toughness.”
Barker had played with the league’s leading scorers as of the end of May, so he didn’t have to rely so much on his catch-and-shoot ability. With the scores around her, she was able to focus solely on the intangibles that have newcomers like her on the floor – her defense, rebound, boxing.
Defensive rebound rules rules everything in the WNBA. If you’re not efficient with it, you will have trouble generating fast break scoring scores for that issue against a league led by forwards who eat boards for all meals.
Barker does the perfect job of getting these defensive boards, taking into account her “short” 6-foot height, as she can easily and easily contain the forwards and centers of opposing teams. It speaks to her strength and grit. That’s exactly what Roberts can see on the floor with a barker.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0atl-fhjpc
In this clip, Barker places himself under the basket with the task of including the Golden State Valkyrie’s Janelle Surown. Salaün is 6-3 and is easily sealed by Barker. Barker got the Defense Committee from a missed Kayla Thornton 3-pointer. She anticipates and engages with surrows rather than rearranging herself or next door.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9gcqn0zhz0
In this sequence, Barker doesn’t have to use her strength, but rather uses timing to allow the defensive board. It’s difficult to start Caliber Big to not only start as a rookie in this league, but also to rebound how to start Barker’s year. Here she is in the right place at the right time. To help Mercedes Russell defend Elizabeth Williams, you can tap the rebound from Williams’ reach and pass it into the hands of Deaika Humvee.
In addition to her rebound and tap-out skills, she has been good at standing firm as a boundary defender this season. She shoots enemies from just 30% from deep, Same as the player Like Napheesa Collier and Alysha Clark. As a team, Sparks keeps the team at around 32% from long distances, but not the best in the association. In the best Like the Seattle Storm, Minnesota Links, Phoenix Mercury.
Her worst game so far this season comes after receiving a defensive assignment at Phoenix Mercury All-Star Satau Sabury. Savery I finished that game With a ridiculous 25 points in 29 minutes thanks to reaching the free throw line 15 times in that contest. It’s a nearly impossible request Any Guards to protect Savary – The newcomers who take on that responsibility are beyond the toughest.
Still, Barker gained respect from the vets after that match and performance.
“She had a difficult mission to protect Satou. [Sabally]but I just got her out and gave her everything and she’s been showing it from day one. [She’s] She’s really tough, knowing when to play right and being locked up with what we’re trying to do offensively, but defensively, she was really tough and solid, so it was impressive to see that.”
most General lineup of sparks This season features Barker, Plum, Humvee, Azrast Stevens and the Odyssey Sims. They played a total of 68 minutes in six games and recorded a positive net rating of 2.8 over that span. But their third-most used lineup, Barker, Plum, Stevens, Humvee and Julie Alemand, have found some serious success.
The unit has posted a net rating of 20.3 in just 19 minutes so far this season. But this is something Roberts is beginning to start more often, sliding his Sims onto the bench and leaning completely against a defensively oriented lineup with lethal shooting.
Barker doesn’t have to be perfect this season. She is in the first year of WNBA action. Her developmental areas include adapting to more on-ball action with offense and working to reduce her sales to reduce pressure on the plums in the half-court set. Her three-point shooting was also poor, but she has finally got a pretty look that falls.
But one thing she is clearly proud of is her defensive presence in this starting lineup. For Luke, she has herself.
