MAJOR LEAGUE PICKLEBALL PREMIER LEVEL DRAFT REVEAL SHOW 2023: LIVE UPDATE
Thursday, December 15TH, Live at 9 PM ET on the Tennis Channel.
Join us for the MLP 2023 Premier Level Draft live from Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Tune in as we reveal the lineups of all 12 teams of our new MLP Premier level in the company of some of the famous owners in professional sports.
Bookmark this page as we provide live updates from the show and reveal each team as they’re selected!
UPDATE: 6:14PM
Kicking off the draft, the New Jersey 5s with the first pick and by no surprise selected the current top-ranked female player in the sport, 15-yr old Anna Leigh Waters followed by rising star James Ignatowich, #3 singles player Lea Jansen and the “Big H”, Hayden Patriquin!
UPDATE: 6:15PM
The Pioneers choose top-ranked male player Ben Johns to lead the team, followed by Etta Wright, new to the scene and peaking at the perfect time. Next, hard-hitting, consistent top-20 player Meghan Sheehan-Dizon was selected with top lefty Tyler Loong as their 4th pick!
UPDATE: 6:18PM
ATX took the #1-ranked doubles man JW “Just Win” Johnson as their first pick, followed by Newport co-MVP Jackie Kawamoto, then doubled down on twin sister Jade Kawamoto and rounded it out the chemistry with Gabriel Tardio, who regularly trains with JW!
UPDATE: 6:22PM
The Hustlers landed a fiery four with standout top female and champion of Newport Beach, Anna Bright, the “Most Electric Man in Pickleball” Tyson McGuffin, Rafa “Round ‘Em Up” Hewett, and Lacy Schneemann who wins firefights quickly in the kitchen!
UPDATE: 6:26PM
The Mad Drops selected #3 female player Catherine Parenteau and 3x MLP champ, Irina Tereschenko, followed by the indomitable Julian Arnold who always brings the fire, and Thomas Wilson, who rules with quick feet and a heavy forehand!
UPDATE: 6:30PM
The Hard Eights scored, brother and sister duo, Riley and Lindsay Newman, who have a solid history medaling in the category, followed by AJ Koller who is straight-up offensively dangerous, rounded out by the namesake of the ‘Mary-Go-Round’ trick shot, Mary Brascia!
UPDATE 6:36PM
Cabo !Vamos! chose Jay “The Flying Frenchman” Devilliers first, followed by veteran Simone Jardim, commonly known as the GOAT. They added Allyce Jones who is a standout defensive player, and ‘Erik The Great,’ Erik Lange!
UPDATE: 6:38PM
Florida Smash’s top pick was the #2 doubles-ranked Jessie Irvine who hits the ball harder than most men on tour. Next was, fire-on-the-court, Jorja Johnson with Smash veteran Travis Rettenmaier, and possibly the best right-sided male in the game, Collin Johns!
UPDATE: 6:42PM
The Night Owls selected, always victorious, Vivienne David along with powerhouse Dekel Bar who trains with Viv at Dreamland, followed by Lauren Stratman who shines statistically in shot accuracy, and lightning-quick Kyle “OG” Yates!
UPDATE: 6:48PM
BLQK chose Andrea Koop first, one of the most adaptable, high IQ, top-10 women in the sport. Next was Dylan Frazier, known for his fast-hands, then singles star Federico Staksrud and up-and-coming top-20 female Maggie Brascia as their 4th pick!
UPDATE: 6:51PM
Milwaukee drafted top-5 female Callie Jo Smith along with her gender doubles partner Lucia (Lucy) Kovalova, followed by podium regular Andrei Daescu, and lethal, top-20 champ DJ Young who took Newport beach with The Ranchers in 2022!
UPDATE: 6:55PM
Clean Cause chose 2x MLP winner and master strategist Zane Navratil, followed by top-5 male doubles player Matt Wright, powerhouse Lina Padegimaite and Yana Grechkina, an aggressive, strategic player who shows no mercy on the court!