DC United took Canadian defender Nikola Markovic with the No. 1 overall pick in the MLS SuperDraft.
The 21-year-old sophomore center back from Gatineau, Que., helped NC State reach the NCAA title game earlier this week when the Wolfpack lost to the University of Washington 3-2 on a golden goal.
The only Canadian to go first overall in the MLS Draft was Kyle Larin in 2015. He won MLS Rookie of the Year with Orlando City before taking his talents to Europe.
Markovic, the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, was one of four underclassmen who signed Generation Adidas contracts with Major League Soccer, increasing their appeal given that such deals don't count against a team's salary cap budget.
The six-foot-four, 205-pound player won gold with Quebec at the 2022 Canada Games and joined CF Montreal's academy at 18, spending a year and a half there before starting his career at North Carolina State.
Markovich started all 22 of N.C. State's games this season as the Wolfpack outscored opponents 50-12 with an NCAA-best 15 shutouts. Markovic earned first-team All-America honors and was a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy.
He became the first player to be selected No. 1 overall in NC State program history.
While Markovic's job is to stop goals, he can make an impact at the other end of the pitch.
Last November, his header in double overtime sparked the Wolfpack's victory over Charlotte in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. This season he has two goals and two assists.
After making the All-ACC Freshman Team last season, Markovic was named to the 2025 All-ACC team in addition to earning all-conference honors at defensive end.
