Angel City makes Alyssa Thompson the first HS player taken first overall

Alyssa Thompson is staying in Los Angeles at Angel City, and everything has been done to make NWSL Draft history happen.

With the first overall pick of the 2023 NWSL Draft, the Angel City Harvard-Westlake became the first high school athlete to hear his name called for the first time in the league’s 10-year history.

Thompson’s selection was widely expected after Angel City acquired the first overall pick from NJ/NY Gotham FC last week in a deal that saw them trade their natural No. 5 pick and a second round pick in 2024, plus $200,000 in allocation money, to Portland Thorns FC for Yazmeen Ryan, then send Ryan and $250,000 to Gotham.

That deal made 18-year-old Thompson the most valuable player in league history, as the previous most expensive money transfer was the San Diego Wave signing USWNT star Alex Morgan for $275,000, per the Los Angeles Times.

What more, Thompson agents? said the Times’ Luke Evans They say the three-year deal signed with Angel City is the largest for any NWSL player under 25.

The Angel of the City certainly expects the price to be worth it. Thompson, who previously committed to the game at Stanford, won the prestigious Gatorade High School Player of the Year 2021 after scoring 48 goals in 18 games. No, it’s not a statistical type.

Thompson is also one of the top high school sprinters in the state of California and made his USWNT senior team debut last year.

Thompson won’t be completely unheard of as a top player entering the NSWL without college experience, as Washington Spirit star Trinity Rodman joined their team in 2021 after not playing a game in her college career at Washington State. She has more emotions than those of the Spirit.

2013 NWSL first round draft picks

1. Angelicae Urbis FC Alyssa Thompson, F., Harvard-Westlake

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

3. Orlando Pride: Emily Madrid, D, Florida

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

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

6. North Carolina Tavern: Olivia Wingate, F, Notre Dame

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

8. North Carolina Tavern: Sydney Collins, Mr

9. North Carolina Tavern: Clara Robbins, M, Florida

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

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

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