When: Friday, January 12 at 5pm
Where: ION & ION+
What: The Portland Thorns have the 11th (1st round), 23rd & 25th (2nd round), 39th (3rd round), and 53rd (4th) overall draft picks.
Reminder: Last year, Karina LeBlanc selected Reyna Reyes & Izzy D’Aquila in the first round. Then with their final two picks (24th and 32nd overall) they selected Michigan State Spartans, Lauren DeBeau & Lauren Kozal.
Biggest Draft Needs:
Fullback x2
Winger
Secondary Draft Needs:
Center back (even if Becky Sauerbrunn returns)
Attacker with ability to play central and out wide
Top Choices at #11
Makenna Morris - Clemson (Defender/FWD)
Brecken Mozingo - BYU (Winger)
Talia Staude - Virginia (CB)
Amanda West - Pittsburgh (Winger)
Would take international slot (Canada)
Avery Patterson - North Carolina (Winger)
Reilyn Turner - UCLA (Winger)
Kennedy Wesley - Stanford (CB/RB)
This draft is very simple for Karina LeBlanc and Mike Norris.
Best Player Available (BPA)
They are set at fullback with Reyna Reyes occupying one side for the next decade and need to bring back Natalia Kuikka or draft multiple options. Reyes’ versatility allows the team to select the best fullback available whether that be left or right. She was one of the best players available in the draft and somehow dropped to #5. That sort of value exists in this draft, although it may not be as top heavy as years past.
Being at #11 is a tough position to be in, but at the same time a simple task. Every year players skyrocket on boards and go into the first round. LeBlanc and Norris will be able to select a player in the first round that should not have been available.
Drafts have always been about value and talent. The 2024 NWSL draft is no different.
Who are you hoping gets picked up by the Portland Thorns? What are their biggest needs?
Gotta say the draft was a disappointment. We didn't draft for need but we also didn't draft the "best available player". There was one good thing however - we didn't do any bizarro trades to move up three slots in the second round, or for any other silly reason. This draft class looked meh compared to the last few. The league's new U18 policy may be the beginning of the end for the NCAA draft as a source for anything more than bench players. Top quality players are going to be almost exclusively signed straight off their Elite club, or high school - or transferred in from overseas.
I’m really unsure how productive it is getting worked up about draft picks. Teams draft for need as well as best player available. Our number 1 pick looks like a good player. We lost two players from our attacking group last year.