Alyssa Thompson has long had ties to Southern California, and it appears the rising soccer star will be staying close to home as the likely top pick in Thursday’s NWSL draft.
A blockbuster trade unfolded last week between Angel City, Gotham FC and the Portland Thorns, and according to the Los Angeles Times, Angel City had its eyes on landing the 18-year-old even before she registered for the draft. The Los Angeles-based team dealt its No. 5 pick, a 2024 second-round pick and $200,000 in allocation money to Portland for Yazmeen Ryan. The midfielder was then traded to Gotham FC, along with $250,000 in allocation money, for the top pick of the draft. The moves were made official Thursday, and Thompson officially registered for the NWSL draft over the weekend.
With Thompson’s decision to enter the NWSL draft and embark on her professional career, she de-committed from Stanford. The school’s women’s soccer coach, Paul Ratcliffe, told the San Francisco Chronicle, “I am disappointed that Alyssa decided to [forgo] the opportunity to attend Stanford. However, I wish her the best of luck in her professional career.”
