Pros, cons of Las Vegas Aces picking Lady Vols forward Janiah Barker in 2026 WNBA Draft

[ASFN Admin]

Lady Vols basketball forward Janiah Barker was selected No. 29 overall by the Las Vegas Aces in the second round of the 2026 WNBA Draft on April 13.

Barker was projected to be a first-round draft pick going into her senior season at Tennessee. But she dropped in projections throughout the season and was no longer a projected first-round pick by the time the Lady Vols' season ended at 16-14 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Barker is the first WNBA draftee under Tennessee coach Kim Caldwell and the 47th WNBA draft pick in program history. The Lady Vols' last WNBA draft pick was former star forward Rickea Jackson, who was the fourth-straight first-round pick for Tennessee under former coach Kellie Harper.

Here's what Barker brings to the Aces based on her career that included three different schools.

What Janiah Barker brings to Las Vegas Aces in 2026 WNBA Draft​

Barker's talent has never been a question since she was the No. 2 overall recruit of the 2022 class. She's a pure three-level scorer with a beautiful shot, whether it's from midrange or on spot-up 3-pointers. One of her go-to shots is a fadeaway pull-up jumper, and when it's on, it's on.

Barker also has a unique blend of size and athleticism at 6-foot-4, and she's got a pro-ready body. She's a great rebounder and passer and has all the tools to be great in the WNBA.

Barker is comfortable with the ball in her hands and creating her own offense, and she's typically an efficient player. She has a high upside as a stretch four, but a lot of her ceiling as a pro will come down to Barker's intangibles.

Janiah Barker's highlights, strengths, weaknesses at Tennessee​

One thing that raises question marks around Barker as a prospect is her tendency to be inconsistent and her decision-making offensively. And for all her passion and high energy on the court when things went well, Barker's poor body language at times when things went wrong could be just as bad.

Caldwell also said at the beginning of the season she brought Barker in hoping she would be a leader in the locker room coming off a Final Four appearance with UCLA. But that never materialized, and Tennessee's lack of leadership was a detriment as the season spiraled out of control.

Barker also was absent from two games down the stretch of the season. Barker had a one-game absence and didn't travel to Oklahoma because Caldwell said she "didn't meet team standards." This was the game after Barker scored a career-high 29 points against Texas A&M.

Then Barker was a late scratch from the Lady Vols' NCAA Tournament loss to NC State due to "illness" after she participated in media and open practice the day prior.

Janiah Barker career stats at Texas A&M, UCLA, Tennessee​

• 2025-26 (Tennessee): Started 20 of 27 games, averaged 14.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.1 steals, 23.9 minutes, 46.5% shooting percentage, 36.5% on 3.9 attempts from 3-point range
• 2024-25 (UCLA): Started three of 36 games, averaged 7.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 17.5 minutes, 46.5% shooting percentage, 18.2% on 0.9 attempts from 3-point range; 2025 Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year
• 2023-24 (Texas A&M): Started 27 of 30 games, averaged 12.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.3 steals, 26.5 minutes, 47.9% shooting percentage, 34.3% on 2.2 attempts from 3-point range
• 2022-23 (Texas A&M): Started seven of 19 games, averaged 12.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.1 steals, 1.0 blocks, 22.7 minutes, 45.6% shooting percentage, 40.7% on 1.4 attempts from 3-point range

Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: [email protected]; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social‬ . Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks:knoxnews.com/subscribe

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Las Vegas Aces draft Lady Vols forward Janiah Barker in 2026 WNBA Draft

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