It did not take long to see why Gotham FC bet big on Jaedyn Shaw.

The 20-year-old midfielder from Frisco, Texas, was less than 24 hours into her record $1.25 million transfer from the North Carolina Courage when she debuted with the National Women's Soccer League club. With just one training session under her belt, Shaw blended seamlessly into Gotham's rotation, connecting with her new teammate Jaelin Howell to score a diving header against the San Diego Wave just 23 minutes into her Gotham tenure.

Shaw erupted with joy as her team embraced her. After the final whistle, the weight she had been carrying for the past year lifted -- evident during her heartfelt sideline interview, where she fought back tears.

"I (felt) like all my hard work throughout the year paid off," Shaw told The Athletic. "That was me taking a sigh of relief. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with different pressure. ... That moment was me being extremely proud of myself and feeling like I picked myself back up out of the slump I felt like I was in."

That slump included a dip in form at the club level, as Shaw admitted struggling to meet the high expectations set for her at the Courage. Around this time, Shaw also fell out of the regular rotation for the U.S. senior team, last appearing for them in April.

Now back with the U.S. women's national team for their October friendlies against Portugal and New Zealand, Shaw has been playing with more freedom ever since her move to Gotham.

Shaw's arrival in New Jersey appears to be exactly what she needed after moving between three clubs over two seasons. Since signing with Gotham, Shaw has moved into head coach Juan Carlos Amorós' starting rotation and excelled as a playmaker, clicking with fellow U.S. national team midfielder Rose Lavelle.

Shaw's recent form earned her a spot on Emma Hayes' 25-player U.S. women's national team roster for an upcoming trio of friendlies. Shaw spent the last two windows with the U-23 national team -- a move intended to fuel her development.

Turns out, every move made by Shaw in the last year has been rooted in intention, including her life-altering decision to exit North Carolina early and bet on Gotham.

Shaw said there were 2 1/2 weeks between her first conversations with the club and her trade's announcement. Having joined the Courage in January on a contract through 2026, she had every intention of staying put, especially because she was the one to request the initial trade from San Diego. She even had recent conversations with the Courage's sporting staff about how she could improve and earn more minutes. Shaw had begun playing fewer minutes with the Courage, recording just one assist and three goals across 19 matches.

When those same coaches said Gotham was "adamant" about signing her, Shaw gave the club a chance. She quickly realized their goals were aligned.

"They wanted me to come in and just be myself -- not just be another spot on a roster," Shaw said. "They really wanted to develop me and get me to my potential. I really saw that they wanted to invest in me, and that was something I don't take lightly."

Signing with Gotham guaranteed Shaw playing time with World Cup U.S. national team players, like Lavelle and defender Emily Sonnett. The pair are also on Hayes' roster for this window, as is Gotham rookie defender Lilly Reale.

Lavelle and Shaw are growing into a lethal pairing in Gotham's midfield. During a recent match against the Portland Thorns, Shaw delivered a clinical pass to Lavelle, helping her coast through three defenders before scoring. It was a moment of brilliance that highlighted Shaw's debut at Sports Illustrated Stadium with Gotham.

"We've just scratched the surface of what she can do," Lavelle said after that match. "I always say, she has little futsal feet. She's so technical. Her final pass is amazing. As soon as she came, I was like, 'I'm so excited to get to play with her.'"

While Shaw made her NWSL debut at 17 years old with the Wave in 2022, she joined the Washington Spirit for preseason training that same year. It was with the Spirit that Shaw first crossed paths with Sonnett.

"Being able to train with someone every day, with the caliber like Jaedyn, is really special," Sonnett said. "It makes me better. I feel like she's found a really good spot here, and I'm really excited to see how she grows and how the rest of the season goes."

It's easy to forget Shaw is only 20, given her years in the NWSL and splashy arrival to the international stage in 2023. She received her first call-up to the U.S. senior team at 18 years old. She has since scored eight goals across 26 caps. Shaw also scored in her first five U.S. women's national team starts -- making her the first player ever to do so.

In 2024, during the inaugural Concacaf Women's Gold Cup, Shaw earned the Golden Ball, as the tournament's best player. She played in all six games, scoring four goals. That summer, she was named to Hayes' Olympic roster. While she still won gold, Shaw suffered a leg injury before the first match that sidelined her from competing.

Since taking over as head coach, Hayes has been laser-focused on developing a more structured pipeline into the U.S. women's national team, particularly through the U-23 team. The former Chelsea head coach has stressed the need for players within that age range to have more international experience and has described the group as an extension of the senior team.

Shaw spent the last two FIFA windows with the U-23s. "It doesn't feel nice initially," she said. But she leaned into the messaging from Hayes and assistant coach Denise Reddy about their decision. They told Shaw this was an intentional step for her development.

"I grew to be really grateful for that intentionality, (that) development, that guidance for me and my career. They were being very forward-thinking with it," Shaw said. "That was the biggest message: take this as an opportunity to continue to develop, continue to work on the things we need you to work on, and be in a more leadership role."

Last week, 24 players were called up to a U-23 training camp outside Philadelphia from Oct. 20 through Oct. 28. The camp runs concurrently with the senior team's camp in the city, with the U.S. playing Portugal on Oct. 23 at Subaru Park. Hayes plans to observe the younger group's training while in Philadelphia, before she and the senior team head to East Hartford and Kansas City. The U-23 roster is made up of nearly all professional players, with one exception.

"We have to provide so many more development opportunities for younger players," Hayes said, "and that's why there'll be a flip-flopping between WNT and under-23."

Hayes said she envisions Shaw continuing to flow between the senior side and U-23s. She pointed to the next window, and the benefit of Shaw having meaningful experience against top European teams -- a potential nod to a pair of friendlies the U.S. has scheduled against Italy for later this year. Between camps, the coaching staff stays in regular communication with players in their pool, sharing analysis and feedback.

"Jaedyn has taken on board everything that we've been asking of her. She has (been) traded to Gotham. She's really starting to put all those things together," Hayes said. "She's an incredible goal threat in so many ways, and this is an opportunity for us to see, from the last time she's been in (the senior roster) to now, how much of that gap she has closed."

Hayes is an important resource for all her players, regularly talking through their futures and checking in. During Shaw's move to Gotham, the midfielder called Hayes. The national team coach recalled reviewing even the smallest details.

"Have you thought about this? Have you thought about that?" Hayes remembered asking Shaw. "She'd spent a lot of time, say, setting up a vlogging room in her house in (North) Carolina, so that was an important resource for her.

"My job is, usually, at the end stage, is to just really get them to think through challenges or realities that come with that."

At the club level, Shaw had candid conversations with Gotham about her envisioned role on the team. Like with the national team, Shaw started thinking bigger picture and how Gotham could further fuel her development.

"I started to look more forward, like looking at my future and what I wanted that to look like and how I wanted to get there," Shaw said. "All of those things started to align with Gotham."

From the club's perspective, Shaw was the missing creative piece in their midfield. With Shaw, they now have a player who can work with players like Lavelle and help create more opportunities in their attacking third.

Gotham made their long-term commitment to Shaw crystal clear. First, by paying a record-setting NWSL intra-league transfer fee for the 20-year-old. The $1.25 million figure more than doubled the record previously set in August when the Kansas City Current paid $600,000 to the Utah Royals for U.S. forward Ally Sentnor.

Gotham also signed Shaw on a contract through 2029, as sources previously told The Athletic, a sure sign the club is willing to build around her development. The club's confidence in her, boosted by her self-confidence from scoring in her debut, has translated to the pitch.

"I feel very free when I play," Shaw said. "They don't ask me to do anything, but be myself."

Gotham FC forward Jaedyn Shaw on her road back to the USWNT: 'I feel very free'