Angel City makes Alyssa Thomson the first High School player to be taken 1st overall

Alyssa is now in Los Angeles, Angel City and it was possible with just a little NWSL draft history.

Angel City made the Harvard Westlake forward the first high school student to be selected in the 2023 NWSL draft.

After Angel City purchased the first overall pick of NJ/NY Gotham FC last Wednesday in a deal which saw it trade its natural number one, Thompson’s selection was widely expected. 5 pick, a second-round selection in 2024, and $200,000 allocation money to Portland Thorns FC in exchange for Yazmeen Ryan. Ryan will then be sent to Gotham with $250,000 more.

This deal made Thompson 18 years old the most expensive player in league’s history. The previous highest deal by allocation was the San Diego Waves’ acquisition of Alex Morgan from the USWNT for $275,000 per the Los Angeles Times.

Angel City knows that the price will be well worth it. Thompson, who had previously been committed to Stanford, was awarded the Gatorade High School Player Award in 2021. He scored 48 goals in 18 games. This statistic is not an exaggeration.

Thompson is also one of the top high school sprinters California, and she made her USWNT senior team debut in last year’s USWNT Senior Team.

Thompson’s entry into the NSWL as a top-ranked player with no college experience is not unusual. Trinity Rodman, a Washington Spirit star, joined her team in 2021. She had never played a single game at Washington State during her college career. It has paid off for the Spirit.

2023 NWSL first-round draft picks

1. Angel City FC: Alyssa Thomson, F, Harvard Westlake School

2. Kansas City Current: Michelle Cooper F, Duke

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

4. NJ/NY Gotham FC Jenna Nighswonger 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