Sporting KC adds Homegrown center back Kaveh Rad

Sporting Kansas City added another Homegrown player when they signed 19-year-old center back Kaveh Rad to a two-year deal through 2022 with options for 2023 and 2024. Rad becomes the 11^th player that came through Sporting KC’s Academy that is currently on the roster.

The North Carolina native signed an amateur academy contract with Sporting KC’s second team for the 2018 and 2019 seasons before signing a professional contract for 2020. After making an appearance in 2018, Rad became a regular in 2019 for Sporting KC II and in the pandemic shortened season of 2020 he started all but two games for the USL Championship side.

Rad went to Arizona for spring training with the senior team and started three of the four games and come off the bench for the fourth.

SKC Manager Peter Vermes spoke highly of Rad several times in preseason. “He’s had solid performances game after game, which is good to see. He’s got good instincts for the game and the position,’ Vermes said at one media availability.

In another press conference, Vermes brought Rad up and told the media, “I’ve been very impressed with different things he has been able to execute with everybody here at the level and speed of play that we have at the MLS level.”

Rad and his twin brother Jahon moved from Durham, North Carolina, to Kansas City to join the Sporting KC Academy in 2016 where both have been impressive. Jahon is a midfielder and signed his first professional contract with Sporting KC II earlier this year.

VITALS

Kaveh Rad (KAH-vay)

Position: Defender

Number: 48

Born: 6/13/2001 (19 years old)

Height: 5-11

Weight: 165 lbs.

Hometown: Durham, North Carolina

Birthplace: Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Citizenship: USA

Previous Club: Sporting KC II (USL Championship)

Sporting KC Homegrown Players from SKC Academy

(Age upon signing in parenthesis)

2010 – Goalkeeper Jon Kempin (17)

2011 – Defender Kevin Ellis (19)

2013 – Defender Erik Palmer-Brown (16)

2016 – Forward Daniel Salloi (19) *

2017 – Midfielder Gianluca Busio (15) *

2017 – Defender Jaylin Lindsey (17) *

2018 – Defender Matt Lewis (21)

2018 – Forward Zach Wright (22)

2018 – Midfielder Wan Kuzain Wan Kamal (19)

2018 – Forward Tyler Freeman (15) *

2019 – Midfielder Cam Duke (18) *

2019 – Midfielder Felipe Hernandez (21) *

2020 – Forward Wilson Harris (20) *

2021 – Midfielder Grayson Barber (20) *

2021 – Forward Ozzie Cisneros (16) *

2021 – Goalkeeper Brooks Thompson (18) *

2021 – Defender Kaveh Rad (19) *

* Denotes player on current team