Chance Myers thought there would be a chance he'd be the No. 1 pick in the MLS SuperDraft when the Kansas City Wizards boldly traded veteran defender Nick Garcia to San Jose for the right to pick first.
But that doesn't mean Myers wasn't nervous as he anxiously waited for MLS Commissioner Don Garber to walk to the podium at the Baltimore Convention Center on Friday afternoon.
"The palms are still sweaty," he said.
Myers is the second UCLA defender picked first overall in the past three years -- the MetroStars traded up to pick Marvell Wynne No. 1 in 2006. With Garcia and Jose Burciaga dealt away, Myers could be one of the few players in this year's draft who could compete for a starting spot right away.
"We just think got a huge future in this league and we're going to develop him at the rate that's comfortable for him," Kansas City coach Curt Onalfo said. "We're not expecting him to make a huge impact. If he does, that's great. If not, we want to bring him along slowly to make sure he's a guy who becomes a great player in this league."
But Myers said he doesn't feel any added pressure about being the league's 13th No. 1 pick in its history -- and first for the Wizards.
"I'm just looking to come in and play soccer," he said. "My expectations are high of myself and the team. I always want to succeed. They have a good foundation, they made a good run last year and hopefully we can build on that and get better."
From Thousand Oaks, Calif., Myers is every bit a California kid. He's a tall blonde surfer who played at UCLA for former MLS defender Jorge Salcedo. In fact, he's drawn comparisons to Chris Albright, a player he idolized growing up.
"I definitely model myself after his style," Myers said. "I wish I was as fit as he is -- hopefully in the future."
According to Onalfo, that will certainly be the case.
"He'll be fit with us, that's for sure," he said.
In addition to playing outside back, Myers is versatile enough to play in the midfield, as well, which could be especially helpful since Davy Arnaud will be out for at least the first four or five games of the season because of microfracture surgery.
"He's got an unbelievable engine, very good instincts in going forward," Onalfo said. "We've just got to make sure he adapts to the professional game. We felt it was a great situation for us."
As far as what Wizards fans can expect from Myers, former UCLA teammate Tony Beltran, the third overall pick to Real Salt Lake, has a pretty good scouting report.
"He's a very tenacious player, he's diverse, like myself," he said. "He can play several positions on the field. He's fast, athletic, good on the ball. I think he's going to come into the league and establish himself early. I think he's a great choice for a No. 1 pick."
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
