Ally Sentnor’s life changed forever a few minutes after 5 p.m. Friday, when the Utah Royals made the teenager the No. 1 pick in the NWSL draft. And while it remains to be seen whether it changed for better or worse, the odds are pretty heavily on her side.
The last 10 women selected with the first pick in the NWSL draft— including Angel City’s Alyssa Thompson, last winter’s No. 1 selection — have gone on to play in the World Cup; two were named league MVP during their second seasons.