2022-07-29, 10:19 PM - Word count:
Despite the general interest of the football world, as well as the growing support she’s received from fans, things just didn’t work out for Ari Nagatoro in the rookie draft. It’s been reported that she was aggravated by the lack of interest shown in her by teams as well as specifically enraged about her inability to go to a certain team of her choice. A source close to Nagatoro said she spoke multiple times to the unnamed club prior to the draft, as well as during, but circumstances prevented them from picking her up. In the end, she fell to the second round, where FC Kaapstad selected her 24th overall.
This isn’t something new in the world of sports where a media darling player dropped like a rock in a rookie draft, with memorable examples being Aaron Rodgers also going 24th in the 2005 NFL Draft and well-known personal protector on the New York Jets punting team, Tim Tebow, going 25th in 2010. And while players can earn a lot of accolades and praise prior to drafts, it is in these sorts of mechanisms where we see what teams are really looking for in their players.
Nagatoro was described as “uncoachable” and “aggressive towards teammates.” And while this may seem like set dressing, these are traits that have real consequences. We have confirmed reports that a team was prepared to draft her earlier, but management had received word that certain players would not only hold out if Nagatoro was added to the team, they would also demand clauses in their contract guaranteeing her never playing for the team. While that sort of clause is unconscionable, management swiftly reversed course, in hopes to maintain team cohesion.
As for Nagatoro herself, she’s stayed fairly quiet on the matter. Maybe not for the altruistic reason of not bringing attention towards a situation that may hurt the reputation of the league, but for her own selfish desires. Nagatoro seemed out of character in her introductory press conference, giving a fairly pleasant face, but sources inside the locker room have heard her describe the situation as something akin to being “exiled to Siberia”.
All this being said, Nagatoro has signed a two year rookie contract to stay in Cape Town. Reports are confirmed that it’s for a total of $4M, which is markedly less than other rookies. Most notably teammate Hannah Solari, who was drafted two picks later at 26, is making double. With all the bluster we have heard about Nagatoro’s ego, the silence right now is deafening to the point that it’s not a question of “if”, but “when” things will kick off around Green Point Stadium.
This isn’t something new in the world of sports where a media darling player dropped like a rock in a rookie draft, with memorable examples being Aaron Rodgers also going 24th in the 2005 NFL Draft and well-known personal protector on the New York Jets punting team, Tim Tebow, going 25th in 2010. And while players can earn a lot of accolades and praise prior to drafts, it is in these sorts of mechanisms where we see what teams are really looking for in their players.
Nagatoro was described as “uncoachable” and “aggressive towards teammates.” And while this may seem like set dressing, these are traits that have real consequences. We have confirmed reports that a team was prepared to draft her earlier, but management had received word that certain players would not only hold out if Nagatoro was added to the team, they would also demand clauses in their contract guaranteeing her never playing for the team. While that sort of clause is unconscionable, management swiftly reversed course, in hopes to maintain team cohesion.
As for Nagatoro herself, she’s stayed fairly quiet on the matter. Maybe not for the altruistic reason of not bringing attention towards a situation that may hurt the reputation of the league, but for her own selfish desires. Nagatoro seemed out of character in her introductory press conference, giving a fairly pleasant face, but sources inside the locker room have heard her describe the situation as something akin to being “exiled to Siberia”.
All this being said, Nagatoro has signed a two year rookie contract to stay in Cape Town. Reports are confirmed that it’s for a total of $4M, which is markedly less than other rookies. Most notably teammate Hannah Solari, who was drafted two picks later at 26, is making double. With all the bluster we have heard about Nagatoro’s ego, the silence right now is deafening to the point that it’s not a question of “if”, but “when” things will kick off around Green Point Stadium.
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