Top 5 landing spots for Janiah Barker as UCLA forward enters the transfer portal feat. LSU

UCLA Bruins forward Janiah Barker endured a lop-sided defeat to put an end to her 2024-25 campaign on April 4. Despite being the first seed overall, the Bruins were toppled by the eventual national champions, the UConn Huskies, by 34 points, 85-51. Thus they were eliminated from this year's national tournament in the 2025 NCAA Final Four.

Since then, it's been reported that Barker has decided to enter this offseason's transfer portal after spending a year of college basketball with the squad.

The news was confirmed earlier on Thursday, April 10, by @overtimewbb on Instagram. She and Londynn Jones are set to look for a new home for the 2025-26 season.

In her lone campaign with the Cori Close-coached team, Barker averaged 7.4 markers, 6.0 boards and 1.4 assists in around 17.5 minutes per contest. It seems as though she is seeking a new program that could utilize her skillset more by giving her playing time and helping her grow both as a student and as a basketball player.

With this, let's take a look at the top five destinations Barker could opt to transfer to for her third stint of collegiate hoops.

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Janiah Barker's potential transfer portal landing spots

#5 UConn Huskies

A transfer for Janiah Barker to the most recent national champions in the UConn Huskies could make her a part of a tried-and-tested title-winning culture immediately.

While there will be instances wherein she will have to prove her worth given the stacked lineup they have, she has shown the potential to form a sizeable trio with the likes of Sarah Strong and Jana El-Alfy.

The Huskies finished the 2024-25 season with their first NCAA national championship in nine years. This, along with an overall record of 37-3 and an unblemished 18-0 during Big East Conference play.

Barker can then experience what it's like to defend the national throne should she transfer to the Geno Auriemma-coached team for the 2025-26 campaign.

#4 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Being from Marietta, Georgia, Baker may opt to transfer to one of the premier homestate universities in her area in the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. The team was bounced out of the 2025 national tournament in just the first round.

Barker's arrival will propel the talent pool the Karen Blair-coached team has as the incoming sophomore will also get the chance to be closer to her hometown while playing college hoops. The Yellow Jackets finished the most recent season with an overall record of 22-11 and 9-9 during conference play.

#3 USC Trojans

Transferring directly to UCLA's Big Ten conference rival in the USC Trojans is a bold move, to say the least. But, pairing up with a recovering superstar in JuJu Watkins and given that standout stalwart Kiki Iriafen might stay along with the slew of young guards, Barker might just be the missing piece the team needs.

While she will have to face her former squad on multiple occasions, she will know how to deal with them given her history there. The Trojans concluded this past campaign with an overall record of 29-6 and 13-5 during conference play as they were trounced out of the 2025 March Madness in the Elite Eight.

#2 Stanford Cardinal

Barker is an athletic two-way force with immense potential with her play in the interior. If there was one program that knows how to utilize a lengthy player to their fullest potential, it's the Stanford Cardinal, given their recent successful product in Cameron Brink.

The Kate Paye-coached team has since been looking for any ounce of success since their national championship berth, but haven't had any luck. Perhaps the insertion of Barker could bring new life to the program, as they finished the 2024-25 campaign with an overall record of 16-15 and 8-10 during conference play.

#1 LSU Tigers

Barker was a part of the UCLA squad that eliminated the LSU Tigers in the Elite Eight of the recently concluded national tournament. But she could potentially help the Kim Mulkey-coached squad get over the hump with her length and size.

The program is losing star Aneesah Morrow due to graduation, and Barker can showcase her talent by filling that void.

LSU is hunting for its second national championship in program history since winning it all in 2023, as they ended the season with a 31-6 overall record and 12-4 during this year's SEC play.