Wings Select Brennan O'Neill First Overall in NLL Draft

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Philadelphia Wings

Wings Select Brennan O'Neill First Overall in NLL Draft

September 15, 2024 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Philadelphia Wings News Release


PHILADELPHIA - Tonight, the Philadelphia Wings invested in their future and made a bit of history at the 2024 NLL Draft Presented by Castore. The organization selected Brennan O'Neill from Duke University.

"Brennan is a rare talent that we're excited to add to our group. As a player, he has all the tools you look for, and as we talked to some of his teammates, coaches, and folks that have been a part of his journey, we became just as enthusiastic about the person, said Wings General Manager Paul Day. "His approach, attitude, and work ethic give us tremendous confidence that he will be a student of the game which should lead him to a long, successful career".

"I am humbled and honored to be selected first overall by the Wings," said O'Neill. "I tried box lacrosse for the first time when I was 10 years old and have been in love with the game ever since. So the opportunity to play on the same team as true legends of the sport is a dream come true. I can't wait to meet my teammates and get to work in Philly."

O'Neill is now the first American to be selected first overall since 1998 when Rochester selected Casey Powell. He also became just the fourth player ever to be drafted first overall in both the professional indoor and outdoor league drafts. The previous instances were former Wings star Kevin Crowley, Lyle Thompson, and Jeff Teat.

Powell went on to have a hall of fame career and Crowley, Thompson, and Teat may potentially follow, but while the Wings have high hopes for O'Neill, Day made clear there are zero expectations for the reigning MVP of the 2023 World Lacrosse Championships, or any of the Wings' 2024 selections, this early in their careers.

"We feel good about the veteran leadership and talent at the top of our units, so the expectation for him and this entire draft class is to come in, work hard, and just get better every day," said Day. "We don't expect anyone to be a number one option out of the gate, and we'll see how things develop over time. We're looking forward to camp and seeing this group compete."

Originally from Bay Shore, NY, O'Neill has become one of the most dynamic and accomplished players in lacrosse history at just 22 years old thanks to a resume that includes multiple world championships, NCAA records, and a number of prestigious awards and accolades. In 2023, he led the U.S. men's senior team to victory at the World Championships as the youngest and only collegiate player on the roster. He scored five unassisted goals in the final to beat rival Canada 10-7 and earned tournament MVP honors. In 2022, he led the U.S. U-21 team to victory at the World Championships with 18 goals and 25 points, leading both categories.

In 2023, O'Neill was recognized with both the prestigious Tewaaraton Award, which is awarded annually to the nation's most outstanding individual men's and women's NCAA lacrosse players, and the Lt. Raymond Enners Award, recognizing the top NCAA men's lacrosse player. O'Neill currently ranks 5th in NCAA history for career goals and 3rd in Duke history for both career goals and career points. Over four seasons at Duke, he compiled 207 goals, 100 assists, and 307 points. Prior to his NCAA career, O'Neill was a four-year letterwinner at St. Anthony's on Long Island, where as a junior he was named USA Lacrosse Magazine's 2019 National Player of the Year. Named the No. 1 recruit from the class of 2020 by Inside Lacrosse, O'Neill was recruited by major college programs as early as eighth grade before ultimately committing to Duke.

"It has been a privilege to watch Brennan grow on both the world and NCAA stage non-stop over the past few years," said legendary Duke University and U.S. Men's National Team Head Coach John Danowski. "He is the penultimate team player, on the field and off, and I couldn't be more excited to cheer him on in Philadelphia, a city with such a rich history of great American lacrosse players."

"Objectively as a lacrosse fan, Brennan's rise has been nothing short of spectacular and a joy to watch," said Day. "We are thrilled to have him in a Wings uniform and look forward to cultivating his talent in the context of box lacrosse."

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