Sarah Ashlee Barker: The Rookie Reset
Ninth overall pick. Thirty-four games in LA that didn't go the way anyone planned. Now Portland gets the second-year version, and that might be exactly the player the Fire need.
The Pick
Portland took Sarah Ashlee Barker in the second round of the expansion draft from the Los Angeles Sparks. A second-round expansion pick on a player who was drafted 9th overall just one year ago. That's a value play. LA had a crowded backcourt and couldn't protect everyone. Portland saw a first-round talent with 34 games of professional experience and grabbed her before someone else did.
The rookie year numbers don't jump off the page. 3.1 points, 1.9 rebounds, 0.9 assists. But context matters. The Sparks were figuring out their own identity in 2025, and Barker was a rookie trying to find minutes in a backcourt that already had established players. Portland doesn't have that problem. This roster is being built from scratch, and minutes are available for anyone who earns them.
Alabama
Barker played her college ball at the University of Alabama in the SEC. The SEC is the deepest conference in women's college basketball, and playing there for four years is a crucible. Every road game is hostile. Every opponent has future pros on the roster. Coming out of Birmingham, Barker stayed in state and competed at the highest level. Being drafted 9th overall tells you the scouts saw something real in what she did in Tuscaloosa.
A Tough Rookie Year in LA
Here's the honest version: 3.1 PPG as the 9th pick is not what anyone drew up. Not Barker, not the Sparks, not the scouts who had her going in the top ten. Rookie years in the WNBA are hard. The speed is different. The physicality is different. The margin for error is basically zero. And doing all of that in Los Angeles, where the pressure and media attention are cranked up, makes it harder.
But she played 34 games. She didn't get cut. She didn't get sent down. She was in the rotation for an entire WNBA season, which is more than a lot of top-ten picks can say in year one. The raw totals tell part of the story: 105 points, 66 rebounds, 31 assists. The averages look modest, but she was on the floor, learning, absorbing. That matters heading into year two.
What to Watch in 2026
Second-year jumps are real. Barker has 34 games of WNBA experience now. She knows what the speed feels like. She knows what the scouting reports say about her. And she's walking into a situation where the roster hierarchy hasn't been established yet. In LA, she was trying to crack an existing rotation. In Portland, she's competing for a role that doesn't belong to anyone.
With Sug Sutton running the point and Haley Jones providing versatility on the wing, Barker fits as a two-guard who can defend, move the ball, and knock down open shots when the defense collapses. The 44-game schedule is going to test every backcourt in the league, and Portland needs guards who can handle volume minutes without breaking down.
Watch her in the May 9 home opener. The player who walks onto the floor at Moda Center should look different from the rookie who was trying to find her footing in LA. If the shot is falling and the confidence is there, Barker could be one of the stories of Portland's first season.
The Person
Barker is from Birmingham, Alabama. She stayed in state for college, which says something about loyalty and about believing in the program she committed to. Not every five-star recruit does that. She could have gone anywhere. She chose to stay home and play in the SEC, and she was good enough that the WNBA came calling with a top-ten pick.
Now she's about as far from Birmingham as you can get in the continental US. Portland is a different world: different weather, different culture, different energy. But sometimes that's exactly what a young player needs. A clean break from a rookie year that didn't go to plan. New city, new teammates, new coaches, and nobody in the building carrying expectations from last year. Just a blank slate and a community that's ready to embrace women's basketball in a way Portland hasn't experienced since the original Fire.
Career Highlights
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sarah Ashlee Barker?
Sarah Ashlee Barker is a 6'0" guard for the Portland Fire. She was selected in the 2026 expansion draft (Round 2) from the Los Angeles Sparks. Barker was the 9th overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft out of the University of Alabama. She played 34 games as a rookie with LA, averaging 3.1 PPG, 1.9 RPG, and 0.9 APG. She is from Birmingham, Alabama.
What are Sarah Ashlee Barker's WNBA stats?
In her rookie season with the Sparks, Barker played 34 games: 105 points, 66 rebounds, 31 assists. She averaged 3.1 PPG, 1.9 RPG, and 0.9 APG. She was the 9th overall pick in the 2025 draft. Check the Fire schedule to watch her second-year development.
Why did Portland select Barker in the expansion draft?
Portland saw second-year upside. Barker was the 9th overall pick in 2025 with first-round talent and 34 games of experience. Her rookie numbers were modest, but LA had a crowded backcourt. Portland offers a fresh start with more opportunity alongside Sug Sutton and Haley Jones.
Where did Sarah Ashlee Barker play in college?
Barker played at the University of Alabama in the SEC, one of the toughest conferences in women's college basketball. She was drafted 9th overall in 2025. View the full Portland Fire roster to see her teammates.