High school student and teenage "phenom" Alyssa Thompson was chosen first overall in the NWSL draft.

Alyssa Thompson, a high school student and teenage sensation, was chosen first overall in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) Draft on Thursday.

Angel City FC chose Thompson, who they later referred to as a "phenom and generational player."

In a statement posted on the team website, general manager Angela Hucles Mangano said, "She's a player that can have an immediate impact, but she's also young and can develop and look to be a player that we're building a future off of, too."

Thompson, a still-senior at Harvard-Westlake in Los Angeles, gave up her right to attend college and declared for the draft last week. As a result, she became the first athlete ever to be selected right out of high school.

The decision to enter the draft, according to Thompson, was the hardest one he had to make in his life. After much deliberation, I came to the conclusion that it was the best course of action for me.

Since her ability on the field were obvious at a young age, Thompson—who also focused on the 100 meters during high school—has been a highly regarded prospect for years.

She and her younger sister Gisele relocated in 2020 to play for the Total Futbol Academy, a boys' team in the Major League Soccer's MLS NEXT academy program.

In particular, Thompson attributes this action to helping her adjust to the physicality and reach her current position.

She said, "The boys' game, it's super-fast and they're really physical too. If you take one bad touch, they're on you, and you've already lost the ball, so you have to be able to play the ball quickly off one touch and pass accurately.

She played for Harvard-Westlake School in 18 games in 2021 and scored 48 goals, earning her the title of 2021 High School Soccer Player of the Year.

In games against the 2021 European Champion England and Spain, Thompson, who was 17 at the time, earned her US Women's National Team debut last year.