A few days after making his third straight preseason start for Sporting Kansas City’s first team, Sporting KC II defender and 19-year-old Academy product Kaveh Rad was approached by Manager Peter Vermes.
In that moment, Vermes told Rad he had earned an MLS contract. He was about to become the 11th Academy product on Sporting’s roster—the most in Major League Soccer.
“I just feel like I was overcome with emotion at that point and so happy for my family because they only want to see me succeed,” said Raid, whose twin brother Jahon plays for Sporting KC II at the USL Championship level.