The South Carolina Gamecocks’ head coach, Dawn Staley, lauded A’ja Wilson as the GOAT in the WNBA and even called her other star forward, Aliyah Boston, a ‘future MVP’. This was not only her assessment of the games, but love for her former players, which was two-way in this example.
But on Sunday night, fans experienced a completely opposite scene involving Tennessee Lady Vols’ Janiah Barker and her former coach, Cory Close.
Since changing her allegiance to Tennessee, this was their first faceoff, and the forward let her feelings know about her former coach, which shocked many fans.
Fans React To Janiah Barker’s Actions Towards Former Coach Cory Close
After a heartbreaking loss against the Texas side, the UCLA Bruins regained their composure and went on to win back-to-back games. Recently, UCLA defeated the Lady Vols basketball team, 99-77, on November 30.
Interestingly, top draft pick Lauren Betts failed to make an impact in another game, despite her team’s solid outing. Currently, Betts drops to no.4 in the new WNBA mock draft.
But the headline stealer on the night was Janiah Barker, and it was not for her game but her treatment of Cory Close. A video went viral, showing the forward clearly upset to see her former coach and ripping her hand away from Close to avoid the post-game handshake.
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The UCLA Coach shrugged and smiled as she continued through the line. Moreover, the player shook her head as she moved past Cory Close, highlighting her discontent.
Janiah Barker appeared to avoid shaking hands with her former coach Cori Close after Tennessee's loss pic.twitter.com/PMiFNRAjV1
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) November 30, 2025
Her negative reaction and disrespect towards her former coach didn’t go well with the WNBA fans who commented on the video and gave their views.
A fan wrote, “They gone spin this into character issues for a prospect.”
They gone spin this into character issues for a prospect they already have a lot of question marks next to.
— EazyRicc (@Snaparachi_) December 1, 2025
A Fan took a jab and wrote, “Horrible act by the player.”
Horrible act by the player. The coach has done nothing but speak highly of her since she left.
— Bad Dawg Sports (@jj_pavlick) December 1, 2025
One fan wrote, “Not smart.”
Oh Janiah. In front of all those scouts who already have questions? Not smart
— J. J.Knox (@JJ46007983) December 1, 2025
Another fan added, “Form is temporary, Class is permanent.”
Form is temporary . . . class (or a lack thereof) is permanent.
— Greg Wille (@TemBelSports) December 1, 2025
Another fan called her a loser and wrote, “That says a lot about Janiah.”
That says a lot about Janiah, sore loser. pic.twitter.com/3HHMKUxVti
— Pure Breed (@lkshw06) December 1, 2025
Barker later posted a brief statement on her Instagram story and wrote, “We shook hands. I wish nothing but the best for Coach Corri.”
Janiah Barker Shining For Lady Volunteers
In the recent game against her former side, the 22-year-old forward scored 25 points. Even though her return to Pauley Pavilion ended in a loss, she was the top scorer in the game and put her team in a competitive position.
The 6-foot-4 forward has been one of Tennessee’s best players this season, averaging 15.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and 1.2 assists in 22 minutes per game, all close to her career high performances.
Playing alongside Betts, the star averaged nearly half of those stats in her senior year, which prompted her to move to the Tennessee team in the transfer portal. But the Georgia-born forward won Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year with the Bruins, as the side made a run to their first NCAA Final.
On the recent incident, Cory Close shrugged away any hate and said that she wrote a card to Barker to go along with the Final Four ring UCLA gave her. “I just said, one of the things I’m always going to appreciate about you is how hard you always worked on her game. She’s a great player, explosive,” Close explained.