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Charlotte GibsonGAME
Angel City FC selected 18-year-old striker Alyssa Thompson as the first overall pick on Thursday in the 2023 NWSL draft.
Thompson, a senior at Harvard-Westlake in Los Angeles, became the first high school senior to be enlisted at number 1 in NWSL history.
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“Honestly, it’s really surreal,” Thompson told ESPN. “I’m honored to be mentioned along with other first picks like Naomi Girma, Sophia Smith, Andi Sullivan. They are all great players and for me another name on that list. it’s great for me.
“I would never have thought, even a year ago, that I would be the first high school student to hold that position.”
Following Thompson’s pick, NY/NJ Gotham FC traded the #2 pick for Kansas City Current in exchange for USWNT player Lynn Williams and Now used that pick for Duke forward Michelle Cooper. Orlando Pride picked Florida State defender Emily Madril in 3rd place and Gotham FC used pick 4 to pick her teammate Jenna Nighswonger, a central midfielder.
Angel City finally got the pick used for Thompson in three-group transaction last week with Portland thorns and NY/NJ Gotham FCtrade the club’s 2023 first pick (number 5), their 2024 second round top pick and allotted money to buy midfielder Yazmeen Ryan from Thorns.
Angel City then sent Ryan and an additional $250,000 allocation to Gotham FC for the first overall pick, completing the deal. The Thorns used Angel City’s #5 pick for Alabama quarterback Reyna Reyes, the SEC’s 2022 Defensive Player of the Year.
“It’s an incredible statement we’re making in bringing Alyssa into the City of Angels as our #1 pick and also what we did to get the #1 pick. . Because we don’t have that,” Angela, general manager of Angel City Hulks Mangano told ESPN.
“We want to consider both the short-term and the long-term in our strategy…so the ability to bring in a player like Alyssa allows us to do all of that.”
Thompson, who won the Gatorade National Women’s Soccer Player of the Year in 2021, made his national team debut in September at the age of 17. 83 minutes into the friendly against England, Thompson made a substitution Megan Rapinoe and won her first international slot.
Last June, Thompson and sister Gisele made history when they became the first high school athletes to sign a NIL contract with Nike.
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Hucles Mangano added: “She is an impactful player in the present, who can enhance our environment, bringing us closer to our goals of winning the championship a lot sooner than before. with a long-term strategy.
“And she has many years ahead of her; she is a player who can continue to develop. She is our phenomenon, a player of the generation that can go to Angel City…For us, That’s indisputable.”
Thompson, who has pledged to compete at Stanford next year, said her decision to go pro was difficult. Just days before last week’s NWSL draft registration deadline, and after much deliberation with her family, Thompson said she’s decided to go pro. She has been in contact with Angel City for the past few months.
“It was the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make,” Thompson said. “But in the end, I think it’s come down to what would be best for the time being.”
Thompson told ESPN that her decision was largely based on her ability to pursue a college education while playing professionally, something Angel City has emphasized since their first talk.
“From the very beginning, I always thought that if I turned pro, I would still be learning,” Thompson says. “I want to keep getting better and since there’s still a chance to go to college, why not do it?”
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According to Thompson’s parents, the decision to go professional made more sense when there was a tentative route to competing professionally while pursuing a degree. Thompson’s father, Mario, added that they are still working on a plan and where Thompson will take classes next year, but steps to make that a reality are underway.
After the NWSL season begins on March 25, Thompson will take online classes to complete her senior year and take in-person classes at Harvard-Westlake when her schedule allows.
When it comes to supporting not only the remainder of her senior year but also her college studies, Angel City said that despite being in her sophomore year, they wanted to set the bar for ensure the club always supports its players. -out of the field.
“We are certainly very intentional and want to be that club and environment, whoever you are, no matter what stage of your career you are at, you have the opportunity to grow,” says Hucles Mangano. .
“It could be someone in the late stages of their career; it could be someone fresh out of high school. But you still have that opportunity to grow. And I think that’s on the pitch and off the field. pitch.”
She added: “Understand where [the Thompson family] comes from something that we very easily say this is what the City of Angels wants to do for you, Alyssa. But also all of our players.”
Last September, Thompson, a Los Angeles native, attended her first game in Angel City as a fan. Watching Angel City play against Racing Louisville at their home stadium, Banc of California Stadium, Thompson sat in the stands with her family and friends and enjoyed the full Angel City experience.
“I was shocked because I’ve never seen a game like that, especially women’s football. The fans were so loud and there was a whole section of fans,” Thompson said. “I got to see everything up close and it was amazing to watch.”
According to Thompson, it was also one of the first moments where she considered what it would be like to play for her home team.
“When I watch them, I just think, ‘Wow, it would be great to play here.'” Thompson said. “And now know that I will be playing there in front of my family, friends and fans. I don’t want to be anywhere else.”
Despite not making it to the knockout stages of the NWSL last season, Angel City have played four sold-out matches and averaged 19,105 fans for 11 home games.
With the likely return this spring of Christen Press, who tore her ACL net last season, and an all-star roster that includes one of Thompson’s idols, Sydney Leroux, Angel City told EPSN they expect Thompson to quickly adapt to the professional environment and compete immediately for the starting time.
“The expectation that I have is that she will come and compete,” said Hucles Mangano. “She’s going to start helping raise the bar for others with her competitive nature. And that’s exactly what we wanted to create and what we wanted culturally because that’s what we are. what we need to create and become champions of that kind of team.”
On the field, Thompson said she is confident in her ability to face off thanks to countless training sessions with her sister and national youth team defender Gisele Thompson.
“I hope that I can become a goalscorer for them, that I can keep getting better and keep growing as a player,” said Thompson, who compared the match with the French team. Kylian Mbappe.
“I think with my speed, I can beat the wingers anywhere in the forward line, run behind the defenders, face the defenders, shoot a lot, so I can created many scoring opportunities, creating many assists. my teammates and maybe, if I lose the ball, defend and step back so we can attack.”
For Thompson, who still has hope for 2023 United States women’s national team With the team taking part in the World Cups in New Zealand and Australia, she knows the pressure of being the first choice. However, she added, she feels “ready for the moment.”
“I’ve put a lot of effort into this and I just have to remind myself that I can do it and I’m ready for this,” Thompson said. “Pressure builds diamonds, so I just hope that I grow.”
