With just over two months of the 2025 WNBA season in the books, a pair of former Alabama standouts are already making their mark at the professional level.
Guards Sarah Ashlee Barker and Aaliyah Nye — once a dynamic duo in Tuscaloosa — have each carved out meaningful roles on their respective teams.
Aaliyah Nye, Las Vegas Aces
Selected 13th overall in the WNBA Draft, the Huntsville native has quickly shown why the 2022 and 2023 champion Aces invested in her sharp-shooting potential. Coming off the bench, Nye is averaging 5 points per game on 40% shooting.
Her most notable performance this season came on June 29 when she drilled five 3-pointers and scored a career-high 16 points in Las Vegas’ narrow 84-81 win over the Phoenix Mercury.
Nye’s performance was a reminder of the elite 3-point shooting that she was known for at Alabama and reiterates why the Aces viewed her as a great fit.
“She’s a player who can consistently knock down a 3-point shot,” Aces president Nikki Fargas said . “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.”
Sarah Ashlee Barker, Los Angeles Sparks
With injuries to guards higher up in the rotation, Barker was quickly thrust into a significant role for the Sparks out of the gate, logging over 20 minutes in five of the team’s first six games.
“She was ready as a rookie,” Los Angeles head coach Lynne Roberts said. “And there’s still a learning curve, but her mentality — she’s tough, physically and mentally.”
She didn’t contribute at a high level on the stat sheet during the stretch, with a high of just 9 points and 25.4% shooting, but Roberts praised Barker for her “mental and physical toughness.”
So far this season, Barker has averaged 4.1 points per game, 1.1 assists per game with 2.6 rebounds per game.
