Sporting KC selects Akron defender Saad Abdul-Salaam with 12th pick in MLS SuperDraft

Sporting Kansas City selected Akron defender Saad Abdul-Salaam with the 12th overall pick Thursday in the MLS SuperDraft.

Abdul-Salaam is a former walk-on at Akron who projects as an outside back.

“This is an unreal and unbelievable feeling to say (I’m in) pro soccer,” Abdul-Salaam said after being selected.

Seth Sinovic was a mainstay at left outside back with Sporting KC last season, but a lack of depth offered him little rest. The right back was occupied mostly by Igor Juliao last season after Chance Myers suffered a torn Achilles’ early in the season. Myers is projected to return for the start of the 2015 season.

Abdul-Salaam was Sporting’s second pick of the draft. It previously selected Connor Hallisey with the 10th overall pick.

Sporting KC also owns the 20th and 30th overall picks.

This story was originally published January 15, 2015 at 1:00 PM with the headline "Sporting KC selects Akron defender Saad Abdul-Salaam with 12th pick in MLS SuperDraft."