The Million-Dollar Shift: How the 2026 MLP Draft Changed the Face of Pro Pickleball Forever
The date was February 27, 2026. For pickleball fans, team owners, and the players themselves, it was billed as “Pickleball Christmas”. But as the virtual draft room opened and the clock began to tick, the atmosphere felt less like a holiday and more like a high-stakes poker game where the chips were worth millions.
The 2026 Major League Pickleball (MLP) draft was not just another roster shuffle; it was a foundational restructuring of the sport’s landscape. Coming into the season, MLP announced dramatic rule changes that eliminated the Challenger Level entirely, elevating all 20 franchises into a single, unified premier tier. Rosters expanded from four players to six—three men and three women—allowing for mid-match substitutions and dedicated event specialists.
With a dynamic bidding system where teams bid exorbitant cash amounts just for the right to a draft slot, the 2026 draft brought unprecedented drama. From a record-shattering $1.23 million top pick to shocking front-office blunders, here is the comprehensive breakdown of the 2026 MLP Draft and what it means for the season ahead.
The Calm Before the Storm: Keeper Chaos and the Free Agency Pool
To understand the madness of February 27, you have to rewind to the February 15 Player Keeper Deadline. MLP teams were permitted to retain players from their 2025 rosters, but they were required to drop at least one player into the free agency pool. Across the league, a total of 54 players were kept, leaving 66 open starting and bench slots to be filled.
However, the decisions made by several top franchises sent shockwaves through the pickleball world. The St. Louis Shock, desperate for salary flexibility, chose to drop their captain and emotional anchor, Anna Bright. The Dallas Flash made an even more perplexing choice: rather than dropping JW Johnson, they released the 2025 MLP MVP, Jorja Johnson, directly into the player pool.
Not to be outdone, the New Jersey 5s dropped both Meghan Dizon and Mari Humberg, freeing up a spot next to the legendary Anna Leigh Waters. The defending 2025 champions, the Columbus Sliders, voluntarily broke up their title-winning squad by releasing Lea Jansen.
Suddenly, the draft board was loaded with superstar talent that simply wasn’t available in previous years. Teams like the SoCal Hard Eights dropped their entire roster to start from scratch, walking into the draft with zero players and a clean slate. The stage was set for a massive bidding war.
The Million-Dollar Question: The Fight for Anna Bright
When the draft officially commenced at 10:00 a.m. ET, all eyes were on the number one overall pick. Under the MLP format, teams do not bid on a specific player; they bid for the draft slot itself, with the highest bidder earning the right to select anyone on the board. The minimum bid for the first part of the draft was $10,000, payable to the league. That minimum was immediately laughed out of the room.
For over 20 gruelling minutes, a relentless three-way bidding war ensued between the St. Louis Shock, the New Jersey 5s, and the Columbus Sliders. The bids quickly sailed past the $500,000 mark. As the price tag approached $1 million, Columbus bowed out, leaving St. Louis and New Jersey in a grudge match.
Watching live from her home and clutching an emotional support teddy bear, Anna Bright streamed her real-time reaction to thousands of fans on YouTube. “It’s like watching my fate,” Bright nervously told her viewers. “I’ve had so much adrenaline for so long that I feel depleted… My adrenaline has been so high for 18 straight minutes”.
Finally, the New Jersey 5s relented, and the St. Louis Shock secured the number one overall pick for an astronomical, record-breaking $1.23 million. As expected, they immediately used the pick to bring Bright back home to St. Louis to rejoin Kate Fahey, Gabe Tardio, and Hayden Patriquin.
Bright summed up her historic valuation bluntly: “I am going to feel pressure to play like GOD.”. Embracing the absurdity of the moment, she later posted on social media, “CHEAP DATE EXPENSIVE AS F*** TO HAVE ON YOUR MLP TEAM”. While the $1.23 million goes directly to the league and not into Bright’s pocket, the prestige of being the most expensive player in MLP history firmly rests on her shoulders.
Revenge of the 5s: Dallas Blinks and New Jersey Pounces
With Bright off the board, the battle for the number two pick commenced. The Dallas Flash desperately needed to reclaim their dropped MVP, Jorja Johnson. But the New Jersey 5s, flush with the cash they didn’t spend on pick number one, were waiting.
Dallas fought hard, pushing the bid up to $755,000. But when New Jersey aggressively countered with $800,000, Dallas’s resolve broke. The 5s secured the pick and drafted Jorja Johnson, pulling off the heist of the year.
This move fundamentally alters the power dynamics of the league. Jorja Johnson will now share the court with Anna Leigh Waters in women’s doubles, creating a terrifying “super team” for New Jersey. Meanwhile, Dallas was left red-faced. Draft experts widely criticised the Flash’s front office; had they dropped JW Johnson instead, they likely could have reclaimed him against financially weaker teams. By releasing Jorja, Dallas lost their engine to a direct rival, a mistake that analysts believe may have severely damaged their 2026 championship hopes.
The Aussie Invasion and the Quest for the Next Big Thing
With the two generational talents secured, the draft pivoted. At pick number three, the defending champion Columbus Sliders paid $180,000 and shocked many by passing on established American veterans. Instead, they selected Danni-Elle Townsend, a rising star from Australia who had been turning heads in MLP Asia and Australian tournaments. While some questioned if her current level surpassed veterans like Lea Jansen, Columbus bet heavily on her explosive energy and high ceiling.
Jansen didn’t have to wait long, going fourth overall to the Texas Ranchers for $105,000. Texas needed a strong female to pair with their elite men’s duo of Christian Alshon and Eric Oncins, making Jansen a perfect fit.
The Chicago Slice then jumped into the fray, making back-to-back picks at five and six. They spent $75,000 on Ting Chieh (Jamie) Wei and $90,000 on Mari Humberg, opting for an interesting, high-upside female power pairing to match with Hunter Johnson and Zane Navratil.
At pick number seven, the Brooklyn Pickleball Team secured the incredibly versatile Dylan Frazier for $170,000. Frazier, one of only six players to hold a career Triple Crown on the PPA Tour, instantly makes Brooklyn a dark horse contender. Shortly after, the Orlando Squeeze won the rights to pick number eight for $105,000 and selected former tennis superstar Jack Sock, a player who has rapidly adapted his game and boasts massive mixed doubles potential alongside Lacy Schneemann.
Youth Will Be Served: The Teenage Takeover
If the top of the draft was defined by superstars and international gambles, the middle rounds were entirely dictated by a massive youth movement. Because MLP teams retain the rights to drafted players for up to three years (2026-2028), general managers opted to invest in teenagers whose ceilings could far exceed their current DUPR ratings.
The Utah Black Diamonds kicked off the trend at pick number nine, spending $125,000 on 14-year-old Tama Shimabukuro, a kid with effortless swagger and a wicked two-handed backhand. The Phoenix Flames followed suit at pick ten, grabbing 18-year-old Jonathan Truong for $85,000, and doubled down on youth at pick 16 by taking 14-year-old Cam Chaffin for $35,000.
The SoCal Hard Eights, completely rebuilding their roster under the guidance of GM Adam Stone, executed a masterclass in blending youth with experience. After securing veteran Meghan Dizon at pick 11 ($85,000), they scooped up 15-year-old Cailyn Campbell at pick 13 ($65,000), India’s top player Armaan Bhatia at pick 14 ($40,000), and 17-year-old Will MacKinnon at pick 17 ($40,000).
Other notable youth selections included 15-year-old singles phenom Kiora Kunimoto (California Black Bears, $45,000), 15-year-old Ella Yeh (Bay Area Breakers, $10,000), and, incredibly, 12-year-old prodigy Elsie Hendershot, who was snatched up by the St. Louis Shock in the secondary phase of the draft.
The focus on youth resulted in a fascinating market inefficiency: highly capable, proven veterans saw their draft stock plummet. Teams clearly signalled that they would rather endure growing pains with a teenager who might become a top-10 player by 2028 than settle for a solid veteran who has already peaked.
Building “Tennis Royalty”: The Palm Beach Royals
Amidst the chaos, the draft provided a spotlight for MLP’s newest expansion franchise: the Palm Beach Royals. Founded by a group of University of North Carolina alumni led by Zach Hunter, the Royals entered the league with a massive $16 million valuation and a distinct philosophy.
“We want to be the Roger Federer of Major League Pickleball,” Hunter stated prior to the draft. “We want people to look at us and say, ‘They’re doing it the right way… They’re authentic’”.
Operating in the pickleball epicentre of South Florida, the Royals made savvy pre-draft moves, acquiring local favourite Sofia Sewing, the rock-solid Tina Pisnik, and the towering Dekel Bar. Needing one more male starter to complete their core, Palm Beach patiently waited until pick number 12. For a mere $65,000, they drafted the sport’s ultimate showman: Tyson McGuffin. Pairing the heavily-tattooed McGuffin with Dekel Bar gives the Royals immediate veteran leadership, massive brand appeal, and a highly competitive men’s doubles tandem.
The Bench Rules: Specialists and Strategy
Once the 28 starting slots were finalised across the league, the draft transitioned into its second phase. With the minimum bid dropping to $1,000, teams focused on filling their fifth and sixth roster spots.
The 2026 rule changes make these bench players incredibly valuable. Because teams can now make mid-match substitutions and utilise different players for different events (like mixed doubles vs. gender doubles), the demand for “singles specialists” skyrocketed. When a match goes to a DreamBreaker—the high-pressure singles tiebreaker—having a dedicated singles ringer on the bench can be the difference between winning and losing.
The California Black Bears capitalised on this perfectly, selecting Chris Haworth, arguably the best singles player in the world, for $30,000. Haworth joins Kiora Kunimoto to give California a terrifying DreamBreaker lineup. Other teams sought depth and niche skills, with the Miami Pickleball Club taking calculated risks on international talents like Nico Acevedo from Chile and Estee Widdershoven from Belgium.
By the end of the day, over $3.5 million had been spent by franchises just to secure their draft slots in the first round alone.
Draft Grades: Winners, Losers, and the Road Ahead
As the dust settled on the 66 total selections, the winners and losers of the 2026 MLP Draft became starkly apparent.
The Big Winners: New Jersey 5s No team improved their championship odds more than New Jersey. General Manager Ryan Harwood played the board perfectly, dropping his two female starters to create salary room, calling Dallas’s bluff, and acquiring Jorja Johnson. A lineup featuring Anna Leigh Waters, Jorja Johnson, Will Howells, and Noe Khlif is an absolute juggernaut. Draft expert Jim Kloss gave the 5s a resounding “A” grade.
The Gamblers: St. Louis Shock & SoCal Hard Eights The St. Louis Shock paid a horrific financial price, but they successfully reacquired Anna Bright, keeping their elite core intact. They are undeniable title contenders, even if their wallets are significantly lighter. The SoCal Hard Eights, meanwhile, won the “rebuild” game, piecing together a fantastic young core (Bhatia, MacKinnon, Campbell) anchored by veteran Meghan Dizon at incredibly reasonable prices.
The Losers: Dallas Flash & Carolina Hogs The Dallas Flash will be haunted by their keeper decisions. Dropping their MVP and then getting outbid by a direct rival leaves them with Callie Smith—a solid veteran, but not the offensive engine that Jorja Johnson was. They enter 2026 as a team that took a massive step backwards. Similarly, the Carolina Hogs made the bizarre choice to keep their entire four-person roster of Ava Ignatowich, Angie Walker, James Delgado, and DJ Young. By doing so, they locked themselves out of the first phase of the draft entirely, missing the opportunity to upgrade their talent pool.
The Journey to Dallas
The newly minted rosters won’t have to wait long to test their mettle. The 2026 MLP season officially kicks off over Memorial Day weekend in Dallas, Texas, from May 22-25. Over the course of nine regular-season events, a Mid-Season Tournament in Grand Rapids, and an expanded three-weekend playoff push culminating in New York City’s Central Park, these 20 teams will battle for the hardest trophy to win in pro pickleball.
The 2026 Draft proved one thing beyond a shadow of a doubt: the business of Major League Pickleball is booming. The price of glory has never been higher, the talent pool has never been deeper, and the pressure on players like Anna Bright to “play like GOD” is a testament to how far the sport has come. When the first serve goes up in Dallas, the millions of dollars spent in the draft room will finally translate to action on the 20-by-44-foot court.
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Chris Beaumont
Founder and Editor-in-ChiefChris Beaumont is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of World Pickleball Magazine. Chris follows the global game closely, reporting on the latest news, developments, stories and tournaments from all five continents. He also hosts the World Pickleball Podcast, interviewing people at…
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