The Key Moments of the 2023 NWSL Draft
The 2023 NWSL Draft was a special night. The atmosphere inside the convention was fantastic, with people back in person for the first time in three years. As always, there were some blockbuster trades, heartwarming moments, and plenty of drama to go with it. Here’s an in-depth recap of the 2023 NWSL Draft.
The first round had tons of talent. Teams traded a lot to secure the players they wanted.
The first round of the 2023 @NWSL Draft is in the books 📚
Which of these players are you most excited to watch? pic.twitter.com/ejnDURJfpw
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) January 13, 2023
Alyssa Thompson went No. 1 to Angel City, as everyone expected. The 17-year-old starlet will stay close to home and become the franchise’s future. While this is huge for the club, their desire to win now by giving up draft picks could come back to hurt them down the line if a rebuild is needed.
Gotham FC made a blockbuster deal, trading the No. 2 pick to Kansas City in exchange for Lynn Williams. At pick No. 4, Gotham was then able to select Jenna Nighswonger. With her and Lynn Williams going with Midge Purce, Gotham’s attack went to another level.
Kansas City elected to trade away an aging star in Williams to get their striker and a possible cornerstone in Michelle Cooper. The MAC Hermann Trophy winner was incredible at Duke and the U-20 World Cup for the United States as well. The Current did not rest on their laurels and added Debinha in free agency to go with Cooper–this was big for them. Alexa Spaanstra, out of Virginia, is also a fun attacking player, making Kansas City an intriguing title contender.
Portland did well with their two picks and let great players in Reyna Reyes and Izzy D’Aquila fall into their lap. Reyes is a future starter, and D’Aquila up front to be a true striker with Sophia Smith and Morgan Weaver sounds very formidable.
The Courage also made a major deal, trading Diana Ordonez to Houston as she wanted to be closer to her family.
The @HoustonDash added another Mexican National team player in Diana Ordóñez. The Dash acquired her from the North Carolina Courage. She scored 11 goals in 19 appearances during her rookie season in 2022 with the Courage. 🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/8Vaws7DQVF
— Our Esquina (@OurEsquina) January 12, 2023
North Carolina stockpiled picks and used three in the first round on three solid players. Clara Robbins might be the best of the bunch. Despite those picks, Courage captain Abby Erceg was not pleased with the Courage’s trades.
Yup, it’s official. We still suck a trades in 2023 https://t.co/JteQOJMS4V
— Abby Erceg (@abbyerceg) January 12, 2023
In the later rounds of the 2023 NWSL Draft, it was fun to see what teams will draft players from smaller schools or major college stars. For example, Chicago drafted Allison Schlegel out of Penn State in round two to pair with her college teammate Penelope Hocking who the Red Stars drafted in the first round. Those two players will be huge in support of Mallory Swanson down the line.
Two other marquee names were Jyllissa Harris and Messiah Bright. Harris was a projected first-round pick by many experts but somehow fell to the bottom of the second round. It’s a steal for Houston to get her when they did. Orlando has a striker in Messiah Bright. She will create chances after scoring 49 career goals at TCU.
Orlando also bolstered their defense with two major stars from the ACC. Emily Madrill, at pick No. 3, was a nice choice. But Tori Hansen from North Carolina in round three might have been a steal. The Pride is quietly building something and flying under everyone’s radar. They even added Summer Yates in round 4 out of Washington, who could’ve easily been a first or second-round pick.
Six keepers were selected in this draft, which is rare, with only 48 picks. Some stars are getting older, and teams might be looking to add depth just in case. Lastly, Iliana Hocking and Natalie Viggiano were drafted in the fourth round. Both have family ties in the draft and NWSL. Illiana is the twin sister of Penelope Hocking and goes to Gotham FC, where defensive depth is always welcome.
Natalie Viggiano is the younger sister of Marisa Viggiano, who is with the Orlando Pride. The OL Reign selected Natalie as the third to last pick in the draft. Multiple sibling pairings in the NWSL add to the fun, and a little rivalry between family members could be fun to watch this upcoming season.
And with that the 2023 Draft comes to an end ✔️ pic.twitter.com/RVNS7LevGN
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) January 13, 2023
Overall, while there might have been one or two reaches by some teams, everyone improved their roster in some shape or form and addressed positional needs. Every team believes in who they drafted. It’s up to the respective coaching staff to see how these young players will develop in their system of play. The new NWSL season is still a couple of months away but seeing the draft makes everyone at GSN excited for 2023. Be sure to keep it locked with us moving forward for all the latest and greatest news, analysis, and lifestyle leading up to the 2023 NWSL season.
Featured image via @weareangelcity on Twitter
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