Thirteen-year-old Elsie Hendershot was overjoyed to be selected by St. Louis Shock in last week’s MLP Draft, and it makes the moment even more special knowing that her new teammate, Anna Bright, played a role in making it happen.

Bright shared her enthusiasm about Hendershot in her latest newsletter.

"As soon as I was in the team Zoom room before the bench selections started, I asked if Elsie was still on the board, and as soon as they said she was, I was adamant that we had to have her, even though ownership was unfamiliar with her," she wrote. "I think it is a huge miss that other teams passed on her. I have long been a fan of Elsie and her game. Of course, you can never know with certainty how a player will develop, but Elsie’s mentality, maturity, movement, and skillset are, in my mind, those of a champion."

Talk about a ringing endorsement.

An athlete with the talent and experience of Bright obviously doesn’t hand out that level of praise lightly.

"I’ve avoided gassing her up to you guys simply because I wanted her on my team," she joked. "As much as I am an oversharer, I am also a competitor through and through."

Bright is also excited that the Shock landed fellow rising talent John Lucian Goins with the 29th pick, just one selection before Hendershot.

At 17, Goins has already found success on the PPA Tour, capturing back-to-back gold medals in singles at the Veolia Bristol Open and the Walgreens Open at the Las Vegas Strip last August.

"Lucian is amazing at singles," she mentioned. "I wouldn’t be surprised if he functions as a Dreambreaker specialist for us."

Click here to view the complete results from the 2026 MLP Draft.

The MLP season begins in Dallas from May 22-25 at Pickler Universe.