While she may not have been the predicted No. 9 overall pick, Barker fills a distinct role the Sparks were looking for: a player who can shoot the ball and play lockdown, on-ball defense. She averaged 18.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.0 steals this season at Alabama, with a notable performance against Maryland in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where she scored 45 points (a school record) and hit three free throws with no time left on the clock to take the game to double overtime. While this game may have put her on the radar of many fans throughout the country, the Sparks staff said that this wasn’t what moved the needle for her as a top 10 pick – ”her overall body of work led to that choice,” said Pebley.
Order ‘Rare Gems’ and save 30%
Howard Megdal, founder and editor of The Next and The IX, released his latest book on May 7, 2024. This deeply reported story follows four connected generations of women’s basketball pioneers, from Elvera “Peps” Neuman to Cheryl Reeve and from Lindsay Whalen to Sylvia Fowles and Paige Bueckers.
If you enjoy his coverage of women’s basketball every Wednesday at The IX, you will love “Rare Gems: How Four Generations of Women Paved the Way for the WNBA.” Click the link below to order and enter MEGDAL30 at checkout.
Following the Draft, Pebley told reporters, “She significantly stood out in the ‘3 and D’ category. She held opponents to 23% field goal percentage as a primary defender in a conference that is incredibly competitive.”
She achieved this while also shooting 38% from deep herself.
“With players around her like [Kelsey Plum] and Odyssey [Sims] and Julie Allemand and Rickea [Jackson] who are able to do things off the bounce, you need to have those shooters out there on the perimeter.”
When it came to Feagin, Pebley noted that the Sparks decision makers were “stunned” that she was still available at No. 21 overall (we at The Next were too). While Feagin’s stats may not be as flashy as Barker’s, Pebley and Roberts repeatedly cited her winning mentality: The 6’3 forward has played in three Final Fours, won two NCAA Championships and has an overall college record of 144-7.
They also noted that in the era of so many players transferring schools and trying to become a star immediately, Feagin stuck it out at South Carolina. Despite starting two games in her first three seasons combined, Feagin earned a starting role this season, and increased her production to 8.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in only 19 minutes, shooting 60.1 percent from the floor. She played behind players like Aliyah Boston and Kamilla Cardoso, learning and waiting and developing.
“To have a player like her in a program like that stay all four years, when she’s kind of had to wait her turn, I think speaks volumes to her work ethic and character,” Roberts told reporters. “And those are things that we want in our franchise. We want players that are willing to put in the work and improve.”
King, the Sparks’ final pick of the night, began her career at Pitt before transferring to play her final season at Notre Dame. King averaged 11.5 points and 10.4 rebounds per game this season, despite, Pebley noted, not having plays run specifically for her at Notre Dame.
“She found a way to impact, whether it was rebounding or transition, and definitely also her defensive ability and versatility,” the GM said on Monday. “She’s a high-shot quality player.”
In an offseason that saw lots of switch-ups, specifically a new head coach and new star power with the addition of Plum, the Sparks hope to turn last season on its head, make a playoff push and restore a winning culture.
But on Monday, leaders made sure to take the time to think about what was at stake for these players, fresh off of their senior years. “It’s a moment […] that they’re going to remember for the rest of their lives,” said Pebley. “We’re going to have this moment every single year, of getting to make these phone calls and make these picks, but this is their one and only time, and we are so thankful to be a part of it. It’s humbling.”
Order ‘Becoming Caitlin Clark’ and save 30%
Howard Megdal, founder and editor of The Next and The IX, just announced his latest book. It captures both the historic nature of Caitlin Clark’s rise and the critical context over the previous century that helped make it possible. Interviews with Clark, Lisa Bluder (who also wrote the foreword), C. Vivian Stringer, Jan Jensen, Molly Kazmer and so many others were vital to the process.
If you enjoy his coverage of women’s basketball every Wednesday at The IX, you will love “Becoming Caitlin Clark: The Unknown Origin Story of a Modern Basketball Superstar.” Click the link below to preorder and enter MEGDAL30 at checkout.
