MLS Superdraft: Kansas City Wizards select Chance Myers first overall
January 18, 2008 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release
BALTIMORE. (Friday, January 18, 2008) - Major League Soccer's Kansas City Wizards selected UCLA defender Chance Myers with the No. 1 pick in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft. The four-round, 14-team draft was held Friday at the Baltimore Convention Center.
The Wizards secured the top pick on Tuesday in a trade that sent defender Nick Garcia to the San Jose Earthquakes. Defense was the theme in this year's SuperDraft as just one forward was selected in the first round.
Myers, 20, a native of Thousand Oaks, Calif., played two seasons for UCLA and is a member of the U.S. U-23 Men's National Team pool and a member of the 2008 Generation adidas class. Myers became the 41st UCLA product to be drafted in the MLS College or SuperDraft. UCLA holds the distinction of sending more players into the professional ranks through the MLS College and SuperDraft than any other college program. Two of Myers' teammates at UCLA - Anthony Beltran, selected third overall by Real Salt Lake, and Mike Zaher, selected by Toronto FC - became the 42nd and 43rd UCLA products to enter the MLS via the College or SuperDraft.
Myers was the first of eight Generation adidas player to be selected in the first round. With the second overall selection, FC Dallas tabbed U.S. Youth National Team player and Generation adidas member Brek Shea. A midfielder from College Station, Texas, Shea was also a member of the U.S. U-17 National Team.
All 56 selections are listed below.
Generation adidas, which was established ahead of the 2005 MLS season, is a player development program that identifies and nurtures the elite youth soccer talent in the United States. Last year, Generation adidas midfielder Maurice Edu was the No. 1 overall selection for Toronto FC and went on to capture Gatorade Rookie of the Year honors and earn his first U.S. Men's National Team cap in 2007. The Generation adidas program has identified some of the League's top talent in recent years such as Chivas USA Team midfielder Sacha Kljestan, New England Revolution defender Michael Parkhurst and New York Red Bulls forward Jozy Altidore. Teams selected all 10 Generation adidas players in this year's draft among the first 19 picks.
Thirty-one colleges were represented among the 56 players selected. Shea (Texans FC) and another Generation adidas player, Alex Nimo (FC Portland), entered the MLS SuperDraft before attending college. The University of California-Santa Barbara and Santa Clara University led all schools, each with four players selected
On Thursday, Jan. 24, teams will select more players through a supplemental draft to be held via private conference call among the teams. Pre-season training camps for all MLS teams may begin on Jan. 26. The 2008 MLS Regular Season begins on Saturday, March 29.
Major League Soccer Stories from January 18, 2008
- MLS Superdraft: Kansas City Wizards select Chance Myers first overall - Sporting Kansas City
- Crew selects Andy Iro, four others at 2008 MLS SuperDraft - Columbus Crew SC
- Fire Select Six Players in 2008 MLS SuperDraft - Chicago Fire FC
- Real Salt Lake's Four 2008 MLS SuperDraft Picks Led by D/M Tony Beltran - Real Salt Lake
- FC Dallas Selects Three Generation adidas Players in 2008 MLS SuperDraft - FC Dallas
- Rapids Select Four in 2008 MLS SuperDraft - Colorado Rapids
- Red Bulls Add Three From '08 Superdraft - New York Red Bulls
- Revolution Add Five Players Via 2008 MLS SuperDraft - New England Revolution
- Earthquakes Select Shea Salinas with the 15th Overall Pick in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft - San Jose Earthquakes
- Real Salt Lake Selects MF Anthony Beltran #3 Overall in 2008 MLS SuperDraft - Real Salt Lake
- Revs Acquires Albright from Galaxy via Trade - New England Revolution
- Follow SuperDraft '08 Live - Toronto FC
- Real Salt Lake Trades Alecko Eskandarian to Chivas USA for Allocation Money - Real Salt Lake
- Fire Heads into 2008 MLS SuperDraft with New Coaching Staff and Technical Director - Chicago Fire FC
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