Sporting Kansas City enters the 2016 MLS SuperDraft on Thursday with the No. 11 pick in the first round. The first two rounds of the draft at the Baltimore Convention Center will be streamed live on MLSsoccer.com beginning at noon CT.
Currently without a selection in the second round, Sporting Kansas City holds the No. 52 overall pick in the third round and the No. 72 overall selection in the fourth round. The third and fourth rounds of the 2016 MLS SuperDraft will be conducted via conference call next Tuesday, Jan. 19. The draft tracker on MLSsoccer.com will provide instant updates as each draft pick is announced.
Sporting Kansas City’s 2015 MLS SuperDraft class included three players who earned consistent playing time for the club throughout last season. Manager Peter Vermes selected midfielder Connor Hallisey, defender Saad Abdul-Salaam and defender Amadou Dia with the 10th, 12th and 20th overall picks in the first round, respectively. The trio combined for 57 regular season appearances — a club record by first-year rookies and the most across MLS in 2015 — and 13 of a possible 15 appearances in Sporting KC’s run to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title.
Veteran players on Sporting Kansas City’s current roster who were acquired via the MLS SuperDraft include captain and defender Matt Besler (2009), winger Graham Zusi (2009), midfielder Roger Espinoza (2008), defender Chance Myers (2008) and forward Dom Dwyer (2012). Click here for Sporting Kansas City’s entire draft history.
Sporting Kansas City will kick off the team's 21st season on March 6 at Seattle Sounders FC in a nationally televised match at 6 p.m. CT on FS1 and FOX Deportes. Before then, the club will travel to Tucson, Arizona, for preseason from Jan. 23 – Feb. 8 and Feb. 14-27.
