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The Los Angeles Sparks came into the 2025 WNBA Draft with three picks at No. 9, No. 21 and No. 28. They came away with Sarah Ashlee Barker at No. 9, Sania Feagin at No. 21 and Liatu King at No. 28. Looking at the team’s current roster, there are going to be some interesting training camp battles involving those picks for a spot on the team. In any case, we’ll take a look at each Sparks’ draft pick and present overall grades.
One of the Sparks’ biggest needs coming into the WNBA Draft was consistent outside shooting in the form of a 3&D player. There were a couple of options available at No. 9, and the team feels like Barker definitely fits that bill.
“One of the things we really knew that this team needed was a 3&D player. . .SA [Barker] significantly stood out in the 3&D category,” Sparks general manager Raegan Pebley told reporters on a post-draft Zoom call. “She held opponents to 23 percent field goad percentage as a primary defender in a conference that is incredibly competitive. . .and shooting 38 percent from the three, you can actually bump that up to 47 percent on her catch and shoot.”
Pebely also mentioned that the Sparks wanted additional depth in the frontcourt, which was why they targeted Feagin, and that King stood out to the team as a good rebounder and defensive versatility. But in any case, here’s draft grades for each of the Sparks’ picks.
Sparks draft Sarah Ashlee Barker
With their first round pick, the Sparks were targeting a 3&D player. There were a few players available that fit that description when the Sparks were on the clock, but they settled on Barker. Barker had been projected as a late first round, maybe early second round pick so it’s not too surprising.
But two players in South Carolina’s Te-Hina Paopao and Maryland’s Shyanne Sellers were both available at the time. Both could have offered more versatility than just a 3&D player. Nonetheless, Barker is a solid player who was last remembered for the 45 points she dropped on Maryland in the NCAA Tournament, despite Alabama’s loss.
While WNBA draft picks can often times have an uphill battle to make a final roster, including first round picks, Barker’s spot on the Sparks is likely secured barring any unforeseen training camp mishaps. She was ultimately a safe pick. She doesn’t have too much untapped upside, but she’s got a strong ceiling. For what the team was looking for, she’s fits the bill.
Final grade: B-
Sparks draft Sania Feagin
With their second round pick, the Sparks were looking for additional depth up front. They ultimately grabbed a player that was a first round caliber talent in Sania Feagin from South Carolina. Feagin fit two categories for the Sparks in that she provides frontcourt depth as well as being arguably the best player available.
Looking at recent history, South Carolina bigs have had a high success rate in the WNBA. Feagin is a player who had been behind Aliyah Boston and Kamilla Cardoso, but finally got her turn this past season. She’s in the mold of a standard post player with great footwork, but the Sparks brass acknowledged that they believe she has the ability to extend her shooting range a bit.
Feagin’s spot on the final roster is less secure than Barker, but she has a very good chance to make it. She’s likely battling veteran Emma Cannon and former NCAA player Anneli Maley for a roster spot. At the very least, she’s going to make the Sparks take a hard look and possibly make hard decisions.
Feagin arguably has the highest upside of all three of the Sparks’ picks.
Final grade: A
Sparks draft Liatu King
With their third round pick, the Sparks could afford to go with whoever they felt was the best pick or best fit. They selected Liatu King from Notre Dame. King is an interesting player who has a knack for rebounding. During her last two seasons of college basketball, she averaged 10.3 and 10.4 rebounds respectively.
She also came into her own as an efficient, double digit scorer, averaging a career-best 18.7 points in 2023-24. She is also more of an inside presence, taking only a total of two three-point shots across five seasons. If the WNBA had as many roster spots on a team as NBA teams do, King would be a lock to make a final roster.
Unfortunately, due to the nature of WNBA rosters spots and contracts, it’s going to be a difficult uphill climb for her to be on the Sparks regular season roster. She is a WNBA caliber talent, however, and it would not be surprising to see her back in somebody’s training camp for the 2026 season.
King’s best option would be to soak up as much as she can in Sparks’ training camp and compete as hard as she can in hopes of beating the odds. She’s going to make a WNBA roster one day. It’s just a matter of when.
Final Grade: B+
