Sarah Ashlee Barker scored her first WNBA points on Friday night in the Los Angeles Sparks’ season-opening 84-67 victory over the Golden State Valkyries.

The former Spain Park High School and Alabama standout drove into position for a 6-foot shot in the lane for her first WNBA basket with 4:35 remaining in the second quarter at Chase Center in San Francisco.

Barker’s bucket was the first for an Alabama alumnus in the WNBA since Aug. 14, 2022, when Jasmine Walker scored for Los Angeles.

In 13:32 of playing time in her WNBA debut, Barker made 1-of-3 field-goal attempts and had two rebounds and one assist. Barker joined the Sparks as the ninth pick in the WNBA Draft on April 14.

Los Angeles is 1-0 after going 8-32, the WNBA’s worst record, last season. Golden State played the first game in franchise history after joining the WNBA as an expansion team.

Barker won Alabama’s Miss Basketball Award for the 2019-20 season, her final campaign for Spain Park High School in Hoover. Barker paced the Jaguars to the AHSAA Class 7A girls’ basketball championship that season. Spain Park also had won the 2018 title. Barker averaged 23.2 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.9 steals per game during her prep career.

Barker spent two seasons with Georgia before playing the past three with Alabama. During the 2024-25 campaign, Barker averaged 18.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.0 steals in 28 games.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.