Major League Pickleball Teams: Introducing All 12!

• Team: Anna Leigh-Waters, James Ignatowich, Lea Jansen, Hayden Patriquin

The New Jersey 5s are one of MLP's original franchises. They decided to go young in this years draft, selecting 15-year-old pickleball phenom Anna Leigh-Waters with the first overall pick. They have a great mix of dominant female players and talented male players that they should make some nice runs throughout the season.

• Team: Ben Johns, Etta Wright, Tyler Loong, Meghan Sheehan-Dizon

The Pioneers selected who many consider the GOAT of pickleball with the second overall pick, Ben Johns, who has won 22 majors, 70 PPA events, and helped team BLQK lift the Pritchard Cup at the inaugural MLP event. The Pioneers are stacked with top-20 talent and will surely be making deep runs at every event.

• Team: JW Johnson, Jackie Kawamoto, Gabriel Tardio, Jade Kawamoto

Team ATX Pickle Ballers selected JW Johnson, the #1 ranked doubles male player in the world. Johnson had an exceptional year, reaching #1 in all three events this year. Joining JW are the Kawamoto twins Jade and Jackie as well as Gabriel Tardio who saw a big jump in his game last season.

• Team: Anna Bright, Tyson McGuffin, Lacy Schneemann, Rafa Hewett

There are few teams in MLP this season that will be able to compete with the intensity that the New York Hustlers bring. Anna Bright and Lacy Schneemann are absolute animals on the court, constantly attacking and winning firefights. McGuffin and Hewett are two of the most animated pickleball pros that exist and it is some of the most entertaining pickleball you will ever witness.

• Team: Catherine Parenteau, Julian Arnold, Irina Tereschenko, Thomas Wilson

There are few, maybe no one that has the winning resumé that Irina Tereschenko has in Major League Pickleball. She has won three tournaments out of the four that MLP has had. Joining her is the #3 ranked female player in the world Catherine Patenteau and MLP veteran Julian Arnold.

• Team: Riley Newman, Lindsay Newman, AJ Koller, Mary Brascia

The Hard Eights started their draft by selecting the Newman sibling duo of Riley and Lindsay. Together they won multiple mixed double PPA events and have countless experience playing together. Joining them are MLP veterans Mary Brascia and AJ Koller. Brascia went viral last season for hitting an incredible behind the head shot.

• Team: Jay Devilliers, Allyce Jones, Eric Lange, Simone Jardim

Team Cabo !Vamos! had an exceptional MLP draft, snagging multiple late-round sleepers. They chose Frenchman Jay Devilliers with their first round selection. After that they chose Simone Jardim, widely considered the GOAT of pickleball because of her longevity and history in the sport. Joining them are Eric Lange and Allyce Jones. One things for sure, if this team gets the ball rolling no one will want to stand in their way.

• Team: Jessie Irvine, Jorja Johnson, Travis Rettenmaier, Collin Johns

Florida Smash started their draft out swinging, selecting #2 ranked doubles professional Jessie Irvine. Alongside her is Jorja Johnson, a 15-year-old phenom who took MLP by storm last year, helping lead the Hard Eights to a dreambreaker championship set at MLP Columbus. Joining them is Collin Johns and Florida Smash co-owner Travis Rettenmaier.

• Team: Vivienne David, Lauren Stratman, Dekel Bar, Kyle Yates

Building out the Las Vegas Night Owls roster are Vivenne David and Dekel Bar who train alongside each other throughout the year at Dreamland. Joining them is Lauren Stratman one of the best short accuracy players in the game. Kyle Yates also joins the Night Owls brining some veteran MLP knowledge to the team.

• Team: Andrea Koop, Federico Staksrud, Dylan Frazier, Maggie Brascia

If there is one franchise to fear in Major League Pickleball it's the BLQK Bears. Team BLQK won two of the three events last seasons as well as the inaugural MLP event two years ago. They have a stacked roster this season with all top-20 players. If they can replicate their winning ways, it may be time to label BLQK as the Boston Celtics of Major League Pickleball.

• Team: Callie Jo Smith, Andrei Daescu, Lucia Kovalova, DJ Young

The Mashers were able to secure the female doubles tandem of Callie Jo Smith and Lucia Kovalova. Smith is a top-5 ranked female player and has immense experience playing alongside Kovalova. Young and Daescu have both played in MLP championship games, giving the Mashers invaluable experience when it matters most.

• Team: Zane Navratil, Lina Padegimaite, Matt Wright, Yana Grechkina

Clean Cause took the safe route and selected two-time Pritchard Cup winner Zane Navratil with their first round pick. They would follow that choice up with top-5 ranked male doubles player Matt Wright and top-ranked female player Yana Grechkina. Lina Padegimaite and Navratil add great MLP expertise to this squad.