The 2023 NWSL Draft is here.

From when and how to watch to which players could make waves, Just Women’s Sports breaks down everything you need to know.

When and where will the draft take place?

The NWSL draft is set for 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, Jan. 12. The event will be held during the United Soccer Coaches Convention at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.

How can I watch?

Fans can watch the draft on CBS Sports Network from 6-7 p.m., then on Paramount+ and CBS Sports HQ from 7-11 p.m. ET.

How many rounds are in the draft?

The draft includes four rounds of 12 picks each, with a total of 48 players selected.

Who has the first overall pick?

After a blockbuster trade, Angel City FC now holds the first overall pick (and intends to select 18-year-old phenom Alyssa Thompson), followed by Gotham FC. The North Carolina Courage have three first-round picks.

The Portland Thorns have the last pick of each round after winning their third NWSL championship to cap the 2022 season.

Which players are available in the draft?

Over 250 players have registered for the draft, with these prospects standing out as first-round talents. The NWSL has a full list available.

Who are players to watch?

Alyssa Thompson

The presumptive No. 1 pick will turn pro after originally committing to play college soccer at Stanford. Thompson earned her first cap with the U.S. senior national team in October after playing for the U-20s at the World Cup in August as the only high schooler on the roster.

Messiah Bright, TCU forward

Bright scored 49 career goals in five years with the Horned Frogs, including 10 in her final season. She also played for the U.S. U-23 women’s youth national team in summer 2022.

Michelle Cooper, Duke sophomore

The USWNT U-20 captain finished the 2022 college season with 19 goals and 11 assists for the Blue Devils.

Izzy D’Aquila, Santa Clara forward

D’Aquila finished second in scoring in the NCAA with 19 goals in 2022 and posted 50 career goals in 78 games across three seasons for the Broncos.

Emily Madril, BK Häcken FF midfielder

Madril starred for Florida State during its 2021 title run, then signed a contract with the NWSL to maintain her draft eligibility while she played for Swedish club BK Häcken FF. She also played for the U.S. U-23 women’s youth national team in the summer of 2022.

Reyna Reyes, Alabama defender

Reyes scored a career-high eight goals in 2022. She also led the Crimson Tide defense to 12 shutouts in 2022 en route to the SEC defender of the year award.

Alexa Spaanstra, Virginia forward

Spaanstra made a name for herself as a pass-first player but contributed eight goals and five assists for the Cavaliers in 2022. She also played for the U.S. U-23 women’s youth national team in the summer of 2022.

What is the full draft order?

First round

1. Angel City FC
2. NJ/NY Gotham FC
3. Orlando Pride
4. NJ/NY Gotham FC (acquired from Louisville via trade)
5. Portland Thorns FC
6. North Carolina Courage
7. Chicago Red Stars
8. Houston Dash
9. North Carolina Courage
10. Kansas City Current
11. North Carolina Courage
12. Portland Thorns FC

Second round

1. San Diego Wave (acquired from Gotham via trade)
2. Chicago Red Stars
3. Kansas City Current
4. Racing Louisville FC
5. Racing Louisville FC
6. Kansas City Current
7. Chicago Red Stars
8. Houston Dash
9. Orlando Pride
10. Houston Dash
11. OL Reign (acquired from Kansas City via trade)
12. Portland Thorns FC

Third round

1. Orlando Pride
2. Washington Spirit
3. Angel City FC
4. Racing Louisville FC
5. Orlando Pride
6. North Carolina Courage
7. Racing Louisville FC
8. OL Reign
9. San Diego Wave
10. Orlando Pride
11. Kansas City Current
12. Portland Thorns FC

Fourth round

1. Washington Spirit
2. Kansas City Current
3. Orlando Pride
4. Racing Louisville FC
5. Orlando Pride
6. Kansas City Current
7. Chicago Red Stars
8. NJ/NY Gotham FC
9. San Diego Wave
10. OL Reign
11. Kansas City Current
12. Portland Thorns FC

Read more:

• What every team needs in the 2023 NWSL draft
• NWSL 2023 mock draft: Projecting every first-round pick
• Alyssa Thompson: Get to know anointed No. 1 pick in NWSL draft
• Sophia Smith and the 2020 draft class that reshaped the NWSL

Cameron Brink already has her rookie of the year pick for the upcoming WNBA season, and it’s Indiana-bound star Caitlin Clark. 

In the latest edition of Kelley on the Street, host Kelley O'Hara caught up with Brink in New York hours before the Stanford phenom went No. 2 overall to the Los Angeles Sparks at the 2024 WNBA Draft. When O’Hara asked who would win the WNBA's rookie of the year, she answered without pause.

"Caitlin Clark," she said, while a fan commented that she thought Brink would take home the award. Brink later added that the extra foul granted to WNBA players will be "good for me."

"I hope it’s me," Charisma Osborne, who was later drafted by the Phoenix Mercury, said when asked her ROY prediction. "But, I don’t know — we’ll see."

Watch more of Kelley on the Street:

Maria Sanchez issued a statement on Thursday, confirming recent reports that she has requested a trade from the Houston Dash. 

In it, she revealed that the club has been aware of the request "since late March."

"This has all taken a toll and isn’t an easy thing to talk about, but I want to confirm that I’ve requested an immediate trade," she wrote. "My expectations and reasons have been clear. I trust that my current club’s management will honor my decision in a timely manner and proceed with accepting a trade."

"I’m eager to refocus and dive back into what I love most: playing football," she concluded.

Thank you, everyone, for the outpouring of kindness and support. pic.twitter.com/gcnN7dhCJU

— Maria Sanchez (@Maria17_7) April 19, 2024

Reports of Sanchez's trade request first surfaced on ESPN last week, and were later confirmed by multiple sources. 

In December of last year, Sanchez signed a three-year contract with the Dash valued at $1.5 million including bonuses and an option year. It was the largest contract in NWSL history at the time — a figure that would be eclipsed by multiple contracts in the following months. 

Sanchez spent the offseason as a restricted free agent, meaning that Houston could match any other team's offer to retain her rights. Should the Dash trade Sanchez, her current contract terms would remain intact, limiting potential buyers to teams able to afford to take on an inking of that size.

The Dash has yet to address the trade, instead reiterating to ESPN that Sanchez is "under contract, a choice she made in free agency at the end of 2023." 

Both the NWSL trade window and transfer window close tonight, April 19th, at 12 a.m. ET. The window will stay closed through the next 11 regular season games, reopening on August 1st, 2024.

The four-time league champion Seattle Storm unveiled their new practice facility on Thursday, with Storm co-owner Lisa Brummel dubbing Interbay's Seattle Storm Center for Basketball Performance the team’s "new home."

"It's just such a special space," Brummel told Fox 13 Seattle. "I think when the players get here, it's gonna be overwhelming."

The sprawling 50,000-square-foot, $64 million property is just the second designated practice facility to be designed and built expressly for a WNBA team, with the Storm further noting that 85% of all design and engineering team members involved in the project's construction were women and people of color. The finished product holds two professional indoor courts, two 3x3 outdoor courts, a state-of-the-art locker room, and players' lounge, plus designated areas for strength and conditioning, kitchen, dining, and nutrition, and recovery. 

"This facility reflects our commitment to providing our athletes an exceptional environment that supports their growth, health, and performance," said Storm co-owner Ginny Gilder in an official team release. "It’s built for women, by women, embodying our dedication to leading the way in professional women’s sports."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

For their part, the team can't wait to make the faciilty their own.

"It's amazing," Storm guard Jewell Loyd told Fox 13. "Not having to drive everywhere around, knowing you have access anytime of the day to get into the gym, to workout." 

Head coach Noelle Quinn said she predicts the team is "never going to leave this building."

"Which is a good thing for me," she continued. "You talk about having an edge in performance. We want our athletes to not only perform on the court, but get whatever they need."

All of the Storm's staff and operations will now live under one roof, and the team also has plans to launch a youth basketball program operating out of the building.

The Caitlin Clark effect is quickly making its mark on the big leagues, as WNBA host teams around the country rush to upgrade their Fever games to larger arenas in order to accommodate surging ticket sales.

With Clark mere weeks away from her Indiana Fever debut, both the Las Vegas Aces and Washington Mystics have officially relocated their scheduled home games with head coach Christie Sides' squad. On Thursday, the Mystics became the latest to adjust their plans, moving their June 7th matchup from Entertainment & Sports Arena in Southwest DC to the more centrally located — and much larger — Capital One Arena "due to unprecedented demand."

The Mystics home court's capacity taps out at 4,200, while Capital One Arena — home to the Wizards, Capitals, and Georgetown Hoya's Men's Basketball — can fit nearly five times that crowd at some 20,000 spectators.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Washington Mystics (@washmystics)

"The move to Capital One Arena will allow for additional fans in the stands as well as premium hospitality options, including Suites and the all-new all-inclusive courtside Hennessy Lofts," the team announced via Thursday's press release.

The Aces were one of the first teams to switch venues, aiming to take on the Indiana Fever in front of as many as 20,000 fans inside T-Mobile Arena on July 2nd. That’s a sizable a boost from their home venue, which holds just 12,000.

For those still planning to face the Fever in their home arenas, ticket prices have skyrocketed. Previously scheduled construction has already forced the LA Sparks to relocate their first five games — including their May 24th clash with the Fever — to Long Beach State's Walter Pyramid. The temporary venue is quite the downsize, holding just 4,000 in comparison to Crypto.com Arena's near-19,000. As of Friday, the get-in price for that game started around $400.

Despite fans launching a Change.org petition urging relocation, the Chicago Sky say they're unable to move their June 23rd Fever meeting from Wintrust Arena's 10,000-seat facility to the 23,500-seat United Center due to a concert. Tickets for that game start around $325 as of Friday.