KC Current trade up NWSL Draft board, nab No. 2 overall pick. Here’s who they selected

There were audible gasps in the NWSL Draft room Thursday evening as the Kansas City Current pulled off a stunning National Women’s Soccer League trade, dealing Lynn Williams to NJ/NY Gotham FC in exchange for the second overall pick.

With that pick, the Current soon after selected Michelle Cooper, a star forward from Duke who just finished her sophomore season. She tallied 19 goals and 11 assists in 22 matches and won the Mac Hermann Trophy, college soccer’s equivalent to the Heisman. In 40 total college-level matches, Cooper scored 31 goals and recorded 16 assists.

The Current didn’t necessarily need a forward, but Cooper is widely regarded as a generational talent. She was the consensus No. 1 pick in most mock drafts until it was reported late last week that Angel City FC had traded into the top spot in order to select Alyssa Thompson, a high schooler who entered the draft late in the process and is already a member of the senior national team.

There is no requirement that NWSL players must attend college, and for now, at least, it appears that Thompson won’t.

With the No. 10 overall selection, the Current picked Virginia Cavaliers forward/midfielder Alexa Spaanstra, a fifth-year senior who played in 107 games and scored 37 goals during her collegiate career.

It had already been a very busy week for the Current. On Monday, they announced the free-agent acquisition of Brazilian star Debinha. And then came news that superstar Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes had purchased an ownership stake in the team alongside his wife, Brittany Mahomes, and Angie and Chris Long.

Before trading away Williams on Thursday, the Current on Wednesday also said goodbye to Elyse Bennett. She was traded to OL Reign along with the 23rd overall pick for $150,000 in allocation money.

Williams, one of the top players in women’s soccer, sat out nearly all of the 2022 NWSL season after tearing her hamstring late in the Current’s first match.

Bennett, meanwhile, had three goals and two assists in 24 appearances as a rookie this past year.

Second round

The Current went after defensive help in the second round, drafting Gabrielle Robinson 15th overall. The defender from West Virginia has experience playing across all three lines but was mainly a center-back in college. During her time in youth national team camps, she played as a striker and progressively moved farther back on the field.

The Current then selected Iowa State goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz with the 18th overall pick. The 6-foot Silkowitz has size and led the Big 12 in saves last season (100). She claims to like playing the ball as a passer out of the back, which KC goalkeepers coach Lloyd Yaxley will no doubt appreciate.

Silkowitz will likely slot in as the Current’s third goalkeeper behind Cassie Miller and starter AD Franch but could still see some playing time with Franch in the mix for a spot on the USWNT roster.

Later rounds

The Current continued to add center-back depth with their third- and fourth-round picks.

With the No. 35 pick overall, they selected Mykiaa Minniss, a 5-11 defender and four-time All-Pac-12 selection at Washington State. Next came Ella Shamburger from Vanderbilt with the 38th overall pick. A 5-9 center-back, she was a four-time All-SEC selection.

The Current went local with their second pick of the fourth round, drafting Rylan Childers 42nd overall. The attacking midfielder from Grain Valley came through the FCKC academy before playing for the KC Roos for two years and KU for three. In 94 college games, she scored 35 goals and assisted on 35.

The Current spent their final pick on goalkeeper Ashley Orkus from Mississippi. A three-time SEC goalkeeper of the year, she was a Mac Hermann semifinalist in 2021.

All of the new players are expected to join the Current for a preseason camp that opens in February. The Current will begin the 2023 NWSL season on March 25 against a yet-to-be-determined opponent.