NWSL Draft: Angel City makes Alyssa Thompson first HS player taken No. 1 overall

Alyssa Thompson is staying in Los Angeles with Angel City, and it took some NWSL Draft history to make it happen.

With the first overall selection of the 2023 NWSL Draft, the Angel City made Harvard-Westlake the first high school athlete to be named first in the league’s 10-year history.

Thompson’s selection was widely expected Angel City received the first overall pick A deal last week from NJ/NY Gotham FC saw it trade its natural No. 5 pick and a second-round pick in 2024, plus $200,000 in reserve money, to Portland Thorns FC for Yazmin Ryan, then send Ryan and $250,000. Gotham.

That deal essentially made the 18-year-old Thompson the most expensive player in league history, as the previous most expensive contract based on allocation money was the San Diego Wave’s acquisition of USWNT star Alex Morgan for $275,000. According to the Los Angeles Times.

What’s more, Thompson’s agents The Times’ Luke Evans said She has signed a three-year contract with Angel City, the largest for any NWSL player under the age of 25.

Angel City is definitely worth the price you expect. Thompson, who previously committed to Stanford, won the prestigious Gatorade High School Player of the Year award in 2021 after scoring 48 goals in 18 games. No, that statistic is not a typo.

So is Thompson One of the top high school sprinters at California State and made her USWNT senior team debut last year.

Thompson won’t be completely unprecedented as a top player entering the NSWL without college experience, as Washington Spirit star Trinity Rodman joins his team in 2021 after not playing a game at Washington State in his college career. That move has done more than just work for the soul.

2023 NWSL First Round Draft Selections

1. Angel City FC: Alyssa Thompson, F, Harvard-Westlake High School

2. Kansas City Current: Michelle Cooper, F, Duke

3. Orlando Pride: Emily Madrill, D, Florida State

4. NJ/NY Gotham FC: Jenna Nicewonger, M, Florida State

5. Portland Thorns FC: Reyna Reyes, D, Alabama

6. North Carolina Courage: Olivia Winget, F, Notre Dame

7. Chicago Red Stars: Penelope Hocking, F, Penn State

8. North Carolina Courage: Sydney Collins, D, University of California

9. North Carolina Courage: Clara Robbins, M, Florida State

10. Kansas City Current: Alexa Spanstra, F, Virginia

11. North Carolina Courage: Haley Hopkins, F, Virginia

12. Portland Thorns FC: Izzy D’Aquila, F, Santa Clara