Kansas City NWSL announced the signing of Kiki Pickett through the 2023 season. Kansas City selected Pickett was selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2021 NWSL College Draft. Pickett is a 23-year-old defender with two NCAA Championships. She helped lead Stanford to the 2017 and 2019 Championships and is the 2021 Pac-12 Defender of the Year.
Kansas City knew they wanted Pickett and traded allocation money to Sky Blue for the fourth pick. Due to the unique year and the interruptions, drafted players could show up to camp or return to college to play out their eligibility.