OL Reign Acquires Tziarra King and Draft Pick from Kansas City
OL Reign today announced that it has acquired Tziarra King and a 2022 2nd round draft pick in a trade with Kansas City. In exchange, OL Reign sent forward Darian Jenkins, who was acquired by OL Reign in December 2018 in a trade with the North Carolina Courage, the rights to midfielder Meg Brandt, who was selected by OL Reign with the 34th overall selection in the 2020 NWSL Draft, and OL Reign’s natural 4th round selection in the upcoming 2021 draft.
King, a dynamic 22-year-old forward, entered the NWSL after being drafted by the Utah Royals with the 8th overall selection in the 2020 NWSL Draft. King attended NC State, where she scored 48 goals and tallied 19 assists over 88 games. In her rookie season with the Royals, King played 406 minutes between the Challenge Cup and Fall Series, scoring two goals on six shots on goal.
“It was a very difficult decision to send Darian to Kansas City, but with the return of Megan Rapinoe and considering the group of young forwards now on our roster—Pruitt, Balcer, Watt, Momiki, and now King—it was a decision we felt would be best for our club and for Darian. I really enjoyed my time working with Darian and believe she will be a big player for Kansas City this season,” said OL Reign head coach Farid Benstiti. “We think Tziarra will give us something special and that she will develop into an impactful player for our club and in the league. She showed her potential last season and think with more games we will all see her quality.”
With the addition of King, OL Reign’s roster now includes the 6th, 8th, and 9th overall selections from the 2020 NWSL Draft.
“I can’t wait to hit the ground running with OL Reign ahead of this 2021 season. I’m looking forward to joining a group of talented players and continuing to learn and grow under a staff that I’ve heard great things about,” said King. “I want to send a huge thank you to my teammates from Utah for making my first year as a professional so memorable. Wishing them the best of luck in KC and beyond. I’m thankful and excited for this new opportunity with an awesome organization.”