Michael Phelps projected to be taken with the No 1 overall pick in the Professional Swimming League draft

RIO DE JANEIRO — Thanks to another dominant Olympic performance in Rio, Michael Phelps has solidified his position as the presumptive No. 1 pick in the upcoming Professional Swimming League Draft.

“Obviously, it’s been a dream of mine to swim in the PSL since I was a little boy,” he said. “It’s the dream of every young swimmer. I’m excited for this next chapter of my career.”

Many thought Phelps would enter the draft after the 2012 Olympics, but he chose to return for his fourth Games in Rio.

“I still thought I had something to prove at the Olympic level, at the amateur level,” he said. “Plus, I made a commitment to my country that I wanted to honor. The PSL will always be there.”

The New York Swimmers hold the first pick in the draft, but the Dallas Strokers are reportedly trying to trade up to take Phelps. The swimmer’s hometown team, the Baltimore Fightin' Swimmers, would also love to draft Phelps, but likely don’t have enough to offer to trade up from No. 8. Regardless of where Phelps goes, he is expected to land a five-year deal worth in upwards of $100 million.

“It’s going to be a new challenge, against some of the greatest swimmers in the world — Ian Thorpe, Mark Spitz, trained dolphins , swimmers I’ve looked up to my whole life. But I’m excited to become a pro.”

The 2016-2017 PSL season opens on October 29th with a primetime matchup on NBC between the Los Angeles Water Racers and the Chicago Smoothstrokers. Phelps' swim cap is expected to immediately skyrocket to the top of the PSL’s swim cap sales charts.