NWSL Draft: What We Know About High School Genius Alyssa Thompson

Angel City FC They plan to draft 18-year-old high school senior Alyssa Thompson with the first overall pick. Thursday’s 2023 NWSL Draft, which makes her the first high school student to be drafted in league history.Thompson was slammed in the days leading up to the draft when her name was in the rumor mill after multiple deals involving Angel City and three other teams took place in the days leading up to the draft. was already making headlines at the ACFC made the deal first Portland Thorns FC and, NJ/NY Gotham FC To get the No.1 slot. Orlando Pride then got an allotment from Gotham.

So the bottom line when the dust settles is what all the teams got in the end.

• Angel City FC will acquire: No. 1 pick in 2023
• NJ/NY Gotham FC Acquire: Yasmin Ryan, the No. 2 pick in 2023. $250,000 quota
• Orlando Pride obtain: 2024 fourth-round pick. Allotment of $350,000.
• Portland Thorns won: Nominated 5th in 2023. 2024 second-round pick. $200,000 quota

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Efforts to improve the draft standings Angel City have announced their intent to select Thompson with the first pick in the draft.Thompson attends Harvard-Westlake in Los Angeles and is making strides with the senior women’s national team and the U-20 USWNT in 2022. Find out three things you need to know about this next-generation superstar.

1. Thompson’s rise to the pros

Thompson’s arrival in the NWSL shouldn’t be too much of a shock considering she turned pro by playing for the 17-year-old team when she was 13. U-20 team, the Santa Clarita Blue Heat of the Pro-Am circuit, and her U-17 Total Futbol Academy men’s team of MLS NEXT.

In 2022, she made eight appearances for the U-20s, scoring four goals. She also participated in the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup held in Costa Rica where she scored goals and assists. More on her senior debut below, but it’s worth pointing out that football isn’t her only love: She competed in track and field, her 2nd in California with her 11.47 seconds in the 100m. recorded the second fastest mark.

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2. First high school student to sign NIL contract

After being named Gatorade High School’s National Girl Soccer Player of the Year in 2021, Thompson and sister Giselle (class of 2024) became the first high school athletes to earn a NIL (Name, Picture, Likeness). They signed a multi-year deal with Nike in May, and Alyssa was drafted out of Stanford after his 48 goals and 14 assists. Meanwhile, Gisele, who broke the latest U.S. youth training camp roster, remains verbally committed to Stanford today.

3. 2022 marks the USWNT debut

After appearing in the 2022 U-20 World Cup, Thompson was called up to the senior USWNT ahead of two friendly games in Europe against England and Spain. At age 17, she became the youngest player to be called up to her senior camp in her first five years. Sophia Smith earned her first call-up in 2017 at the age of 16.

Thompson won his first senior national team cap on October 7th in a European tour against England. She became the first USWNT senior player to make her stadium debut at Wembley and won her second cap in the following game against Spain. She is the youngest player to make her debut in six years since her first cap for Mallory Her Swanson in 2016. The soon-to-be Angel her City winger capped off her 2022 by celebrating her 18th birthday with the USWNT when she was called up for a friendly against Germany in November. . .