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

Alyssa Thompson is staying in Los Angeles with Angel City, and it only took a little NWSL draft history to make it happen.

With the first overall pick in the 2023 NWSL draft, Angel City made the Harvard-Westlake forward the first high school athlete to have her name called for the first time in the league’s 10-year history.

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

The deal made the 18-year-old Thompson essentially the most expensive player in league history, as the previous most expensive trade after allotment money was the San Diego Wave’s $275,000 acquisition of USWNT star Alex Morgan, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Even more so – Thompson’s agents Luka Evans told the Times that she has signed a three-year contract with Angel City, what they believe is the largest for an under-25 player in the NWSL.

Angel City certainly expects the price to be worth it. 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, this statistic is not a typo.

Thompson is also one of the top high school sprinters in the state of California 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, with Washington Spirit star Trinity Rodman joining her team in 2021 after not playing a single game in her college career at Washington State. This move has more than helped Gar.

2023 NWSL first round draft pick

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

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

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

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

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

6. North Carolina Courage: Olivia Wingate, 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 Spaanstra, F, Virginia

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

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