Real Salt Lake mindful of future in draft

Real Salt Lake said it wanted to build for the future in Friday's MLS SuperDraft, and the expansion club did just that.

By selecting 16-year-old Nikolas Besagno with the No. 1 overall pick and 18-year-old Jamie Watson with the No. 13 pick — two Generation adidas players — the team injected youth into a fairly veteran roster.

"It sends a message that we're building this organization for years to come," said RSL general manager Steve Pastorino. "We have acquired a number of veteran players in the past months, but the draft is one of the only ways to bring players in that you're thinking about for tomorrow."

Salt Lake acquired two more players in the four-round draft. After trading one of its remaining two expansion allocations to Los Angeles for the 22nd pick, RSL grabbed University of Indiana goalie Jay Nolly — a player it thought might go in the first round.

Real then concluded its inaugural draft by picking Bradley University midfielder Luke Kreamalmeyer at No. 37.

Besagno is the second-youngest player ever drafted in the MLS at 16 years and 60 days. When teenage phenom Freddy Adu was picked No. 1 by D.C. United last year, Adu was 14 years and 228 days.

"It's an amazing feeling being the No. 1 pick," said Besagno. "It's truly an honor."

Fans will get a chance to meet Besagno today at 11:30 a.m. at the grand opening of Zions Bank's newest location at 1635 S. Redwood Road in West Valley City.

Realistically, that will be the last time fans get a glimpse of Besagno until September. With his commitments to U.S. youth national teams this summer, Salt Lake's newest holding midfielder won't join RSL until the final two months of the season.

By then, he's hopeful he'll have matured enough to play in a handful of games as a starter.

RSL coach John Ellinger is confident he can, and if anyone would know it's Besagno's former under-17 U.S. National team coach.

"After watching Nik perform during the last eight months at the U.S. under-17 residency program, I saw on a daily basis that he is a great young talent," said Ellinger. "As an organization we feel confident that he possesses the ability to be a star in this league."

That's a particular bonus given his position. Attacking and holding midfielders are two of the toughest positions to fill in the MLS, and Salt Lake couldn't pass on a potential dominant holding midfielder, even if his impact isn't felt for a year or two.