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MLP Draft & the #1 drill you need

MLP Draft & the #1 drill you need

Buzzer beater deals signed. Johns goes first overall.

History was made last night. Major League Pickleball hosted its Premier Level draft. But this draft was unlike any others.

The 12 teams faced off in a dynamic bidding process to compete for each draft position. The first overall pick was sold for 840K out of a possible 1 million ‘draft points.’ That amount was a cool 160K more than the second overall pick.

It was used to select — you guessed it — Ben Johns. You might be surprised to see who Johns was able to add to the roster later in the night. Full results below.

Which part of your body gives you the most trouble after a competitive week of pickleball?

In This Issue:

💥 Bring excitement back to drilling
📰 MLP Draft results are in
✌️ Pro pickleball doubleheader

You’re on the clock.

Make Your Drill Sessions More Interesting

Everyone knows that drilling is good for your game. So why don’t more people do it? One reason is that it is boring. Especially when compared to actually playing pickleball.

Make it more engaging by challenging yourself. The ‘escape room’ drill starts with aggressive feed and immediately puts you on the defensive.

One player starts at the kitchen line and the other in the transition zone. The player at the kitchen aggressively feeds the ball to the player in transition.

The goal for the player in transition is to drop or reset the ball into the kitchen and advance forward. It is meant to simulate a real game scenario with the same intensity.

The drill immediately targets one of the most challenging parts of pickleball, advancing through the transition zone. It allows you to get reps facing the type of shots you’d see in a real match.

So if your drill sessions are a snoozefest, turn them up a notch with the escape room drill.

Elevate Your Everyday Style

Stepping onto the court? Make sure your head is in the game with the Selkirk Amped Trucker Hat, designed for serious pickleball players.

This isn't just any cap; it's a strategic piece of gear, combining comfort, breathability, and a sleek design to keep you focused and stylish.

Ready to see the difference for yourself? Explore the Amped Trucker Hat now.

Squeezing deals in before the buzzer

Monday was fraught with April Fool’s pranks all over the internet. That made breaking real news later in the day a little more difficult. As Major League Pickleball prepared for the draft there was plenty of movement behind the scenes.

The ‘Johnson 5’ reached a deal with the United Pickleball Association and became eligible for the MLP draft.
Two Challenger Level teams - the ATX Pickleballers and Milwaukee Mashers - were sold back to the United Pickleball Association.

According to sources, the UPA will attempt to resell the teams for the 2025 season, meaning that 2024 will only have 10 Challenger Level teams. MLP will hopefully be back to 12 Challenger Level teams (for a combined 24 MLP teams) in 2025. It's estimated these teams will sell for $15-$20 million.

The Dink has also heard that a "California team" has reportedly sold 90 percent of its stake for approximately that amount as well, however, that transaction is not official.
Finally, yesterday Riley Newman announced that he reached a new contract agreement and will begin competing on the PPA Tour as well as MLP starting in May.

Is your head spinning? Alright, take a breath. This was all done before a landmark day of the year, yesterday’s MLP Draft. We’ve got those results for you next.

Johns Bros connect for an MLP run

Ben and Collin Johns have found their way onto the same team for the first time in MLP’s history. Tom Dundon’s Seattle Pioneers were set on taking Ben first overall and not only added Collin with pick No. 47, but also snagged veterans Andrea Koop and Jessie Irvine at picks 43 and 44.

Although the Pioneers are full of vets, a large number of newcomers will compete at the Premier Level for the first time, including Jack Sock.

Premier Level Rookie Women: Mari Humberg, Kaitlyn Christian, Kate Fahey, Brooke Buckner, and Alix Truong
Premier Level Rookie Men: Jack Sock, Will Howells, Augustus Ge, and CJ Klinger

With last year’s successful hit on Rachel Rohrabacher, it appears teams are willing to take their chance on a high-upside player. Teams can keep their players for three years, so newcomers to the game with a lot of growth potential were coveted.

You can see where your favorite player landed and how much was bid on every pick here.

Your Turn to Tour

Franklin Sports is once again at the forefront of pickleball innovation with the FS Tour Series Paddles - a game-changer in competitive play.

Crafted with precision, the Tempo and Dynasty models boast a T700 carbon fiber surface for unmatched control and spin, enabling players to execute shots with confidence. The meticulously balanced swing and twist weight of the paddles are engineered to amplify your technique, making every shot count.

It's time to unleash your full potential and play like the pros. Experience the difference today with the FS Tour Series.

One of the busiest weeks in pickleball

If the MLP draft wasn’t enough to fill your cup, there are also two pro pickleball events being played this week. The PPA North Carolina Open started on Monday and the APP Vlasic Classic in Delray Beach begins today.

We previewed the North Carolina Open on Monday, but failed to mention that former UNC and NBA hooper Tyler Hansbrough is actually competing in pro men’s doubles. Good luck landing a drop in that kitchen.

Let’s take a quick look at the APP Vlasic Classic. The Johnson 5 is registered for the event. Look for them to clean up on the medal stand.

Standing in their way will be the new combo of Andrei Daescu and Jill Braverman in mixed. Can the MLP No. 5 overall pick continue his hot streak this weekend in Del Ray?

Read more about the event and see predictions here.

Babolat’s breakthrough into pickleball

The Babolat name has been known for years in the tennis world, from racquets to apparel and shoes. Their shoes are so popular, a majority of pickleball pros choose them over all others.

That includes one of last year’s breakout players Chris Haworth. Haworth inked a deal with Babolat to become their first pro pickleballer this spring.

On the court, Haworth uses the Babolat WZRD paddle, which has a shape unlike anything you have seen in pickleball. Their whole spring collection of paddles offers unique shapes and new technology.

You can see what we thought of the new spring collection here.