Heading into Friday's MLS SuperDraft at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, it was a foregone conclusion that Marvell Wynne was going to be the No. 1 overall pick of the MLS SuperDraft.
And it was believed the UCLA defender would be staying in Southern California, playing for Chivas USA. But that changed dramatically a few minutes before the draft's noon start when the MetroStars and Chivas executed a stunning trade that saw the Metros get the No. 1 pick in exchange for the fifth overall selection and defender Jason Hernandez.
"It happened very, very quickly. We felt it was appropriate," MetroStars president and general manager Alexi Lalas said. "We came into the draft drafting for the best player. It had nothing to do with needs or positions, that's the philosophy this year and we felt by getting Marvell we were getting the best player, the most attractive player."
Added MetroStars coach Mo Johnston: "I'm very sad to see Jason [Hernandez] go. He's a great kid from Seton Hall, it was a hard one but at the end of the day, you're getting someone of Marvell Wynne's caliber."
While the MetroStars have been involved in a bevy of trade rumors, the deal for Wynne caught everyone by surprise -- even Wynne.
"I had no idea," Wynne said. "Of all the teams I heard were interested, the MetroStars were not one of them. I'm real excited to go. It's going to fun."
According to Chivas USA coach Bob Bradley, the club was looking to get more than just one stud out of their first-round pick and had no problem executing the trade.
"It was important for us to try to get two players," he said. "The opportunity to trade down and get a good defender like Jason Hernandez and still know it was a good opportunity to get Sacha Kljestan later in the first round made sense for us."
Wynne is one of three UCLA players drafted this year (Patrick Ianni and Jonathan Bornstein are the other two) and is the Metros second-ever No. 1 pick. But, by all indications, Wynne should fare a bit better than Steve Shak did in 2000.
"You talk about the tools, he's got all of them," Lalas said. "There is a history of [No. 1] draft picks not working out, not just the MetroStars but with a lot of teams. I'm cautiously optimistic about everybody that we drafted today."
Added Johnston: "He's very athletic, he defends very well and he can get up and down the field, especially on the right-hand side. And when you add a [Peter] Canero in there, we certainly have a lot of pace.
"We couldn't pass up on Marvell Wynne."
Wynne said he never had the problem of growing up in his father's shadow. The son of former Major League Baseball player Marvell Wynne, who played for the Padres, Cubs and Pirates, knew his baseball career would be a short one from a very early age.
"I tried my hardest to hit the ball but I couldn't," he said. "But when I got on base, I'd usually score."
So he took up track and soccer and immediately excelled, even at the age of four.
"He liked people watching him, he got a lot of attention doing it," said Wynne's mother, April Wynne. "He played indoor soccer and a couple of coaches would come and watch him play."
Wynne, who broke track records in the 200-meter dash (21.87) and the 400-meter run (48.10) in high school, had the chance to go pro after playing with the U.S. under-20 national team at the FIFA World Youth Championships in Holland last summer.
But he opted to return to UCLA where he was named first team All-Pac 10, first team All-Far West region and first team All-American as well as being a semifinalist for the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy.
"I decided that it was time for me to move on," he said. "I felt good in UCLA, I felt comfortable but I just thought I was ready for the next level."
And it was a decision his mother fully supported.
"I trust him so much with all the decisions that's he's made over the years with soccer," she said. "He's always made the right decision."
While the MetroStars said they were looking for "the best possible player," they added some much-needed stability to a back line and will likely be in the starting 11 when the Metros play at D.C. United April 2.
"He has produced, albeit at a lower level, but we think he can make the transition and make it very quickly," Lalas said.
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
