Setting DropdownButton Initial Value in Flutter

I have a list of an object that could have 0+ records. If a record exists, I have a DropdownButton that I want to pre-populate with the first record in the list. Then, when the user changes it, leaves the screen, and comes back, it keeps the selected option.

If the list is empty, I don't want to display the DropdownButton at all; I want an alternate message (but that's for another day).

However, I cannot get the DropdownButton to populate with the first record in the list.

Here is the object class:

class Team {
  const Team(this.id, this.name);

  final int id;
  final String name;
}

Here is the list of records:

List<Team> myTeams = <Team>[
  const Team(1, 'Eagles'),
  const Team(2, 'Bobcats')
];

Here is the State class:

class MyAppState extends ChangeNotifier {
  Team? myTeam;
  var myTeamId;
  String? myTeamName;

  void setTeam(Team? selectedValue) {
    myTeam = selectedValue;
    myTeamId = selectedValue?.id;
    myTeamName = selectedValue?.name;
    notifyListeners();
  }
}

Here is the page with the DropdownButton:

class GeneratorPage extends StatefulWidget {
  @override
  State<GeneratorPage> createState() => _GeneratorPageState();
}

class _GeneratorPageState extends State<GeneratorPage> {
  Team? selectedTeam;
  //List<Team> myTeams = <Team>[const Team(1, 'Eagles'), const Team(2, 'Bobcats')];

  @override
  void initState() {
    super.initState();
    selectedTeam = myTeams[0];
  }

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    var appState = context.watch<MyAppState>();
    var selectedTeam = appState.myTeam;

    return Center(
      child: Column(
        mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.center,
        children: [
          DropdownButton<Team>(
            value: selectedTeam,
            onChanged: (Team? newValue) {
              setState(() {
                appState.setTeam(newValue);
              });
            },
            items: myTeams.map((Team user) {
              return DropdownMenuItem<Team>(
                  value: user, child: Text(user.name));
            }).toList(),
            icon: const Icon(Icons.arrow_downward),
            elevation: 16,
            style: const TextStyle(color: Colors.deepPurple),
            underline: Container(
              height: 2,
              color: Colors.deepPurpleAccent,
            ),
          ),
        ],
      ),
    );
  }
}

Here is the page with the empty DropdownButton when the app loads:

To reiterate, once the user selects an option from the DropdownButton, it works fine going back and forth between screens. I just can't get it to pre-populate. I am new to Flutter/Dart, so I apologize if this is a simple solution.

Figured it out. I just needed to change the 1st line in MyAppState:

class MyAppState extends ChangeNotifier {
  Team? myTeam = myTeams.first; // OLD: Team? myTeam;
  var myTeamId;
  String? myTeamName;

  void setTeam(Team? selectedValue) {
    myTeam = selectedValue;
    myTeamId = selectedValue?.id;
    myTeamName = selectedValue?.name;
    notifyListeners();
  }
}

So I was updating myTeam in the setTeam() function upon an action, but I was never giving myTeam an initial value if it existed.