Jasmine Walker Taken Seventh Overall in 2021 WNBA Draft

Jasmine Walker becomes the first Alabama women’s basketball player selected in the first round of the WNBA draft since 2000

Dreams turned into reality for one former Alabama player Thursday night. 

Jasmine Walker heard her name announced live on ESPN and was selected seventh overall in the 2021 WNBA Draft to the Los Angles Sparks.

“The WNBA was a dream come true,” Walker said. “This is always what I wanted out of my college career.”

Walker said she has never been to Los Angeles before.

She is the first Alabama player selected in the WNBA draft since 2005, and the first Crimson Tide standout drafted in the first round since Tausha Mills was taken second overall to the Washington Mystics in 2000.

Walker leaves the program with her name written all over the Crimson Tide record books. Her 41 point performance against Auburn on Feb. 14 set the Alabama record for most points in a game which led to her winning SEC player of the week. She finished with 22 career double-doubles and third at UA in single-season three-point percentage, 42.2% during her senior season. 

Following her outstanding senior campaign, Walker was a named one of five finalists for the 2021 Katrina McClain Award which goes to the country's best power forward in Division I basketball.

Walker's basketball skills and veteran presence along with fellow seniors Ariyah Copeland and Jordan Lewis led Alabama women's basketball back to the NCAA tournament in 2021 for the first time since 1999.

An Alabama-grown athlete from Montgomery, Walker started her career at Florida State before transferring to Alabama in 2017. She stated multiple times that "coming home" and playing at Alabama was one of the best decisions of her life. 

That decision helped lead her to where she is today: a first round WNBA draft pick. 

Walker said she’s eager to get to Los Angeles and keep working toward her dream. 

“I’m ready to work. I’m ready to win.”