Philadelphia Union coach Peter Nowak says No1 SuperDraft selection Danny Mwanga will be ready to play from game one.

Oregon State forward Mwanga went first in last week's MLS SuperDraft.

"I just wanted to make sure that with the number-one pick, we selected a guy who can be ready for Major League Soccer," said Nowak, who visited Mwanga before the draft. The Pac-10 player of the year had opportunities to play in France.

"I think Peter, once he met [Mwanga] and got to see him, I think he was pretty sold on him," Union president Tom Veit told philly.com.

"I talked to a lot of people," said the 18-year-old Mwanga, who scored 14 goals in 18 games as a sophomore last season. "Of course, Peter made a contribution to that, but I already had my mind up to stay here in the United States."