It’s only natural. We’re influenced by the greats in a sport. That’s why you see massive shoe endorsement deals inked by the likes of Steph Curry, Zion Williamson, or James Harden. We want the same shoes they wear because we’ll be able to run faster or jump higher. Or so we dream.
Pickleball is really no different. We want to know which paddle our favorite pro plays with because if we purchase that same paddle, surely the power, touch, and finesse from that paddle will transfer to our own games. We hope that the pickleball paddle that our favorite pro uses will instantly transform us from a 3.5/4.0 player to a 5.0 player who is competing for prize money on the PPA or APP Tour.
2023 Brought About Change in the Pro Paddle Space
The beginning of 2023 brought about many changes to the pro paddle landscape. Pickleball pros who used a particular paddle for a few years switched to a new one. Others kept loyal to their paddle brand. With top pro Ben Johns switching to Joola in 2022, many other pros followed suit and jumped on the Joola wagon. Who can blame them? When you have the top player who also happens to have an engineering degree giving insight into paddle design, it’s bound to be good.
The top pickleball paddle brands that many of the pros play with are the following:
Another brand that we notice more pros starting to use is ProXR Pickleball. This paddle differentiates itself with its handle technology.
So which paddle does your favorite pro pickleball player use? The following lists – while not exhaustive – do provide insight into the paddle preferences for several of the top men and women pros in our sport.
Professional pickleball players on this list are either one or more of the following:
- Ranked in DUPR as one of the top pros (those players are indicated with an asterisk next to their names)
- Drafted to a 2023 Major League Pickleball Premier team
- Have played in a number of APP or PPA tournaments
- Have name recognition to PickleballMAX!
[Updated January 2023]
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Use discount code ‘10MAX‘ for 10% off your purchase!
Male Pro Pickleball Paddles
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- Arnold, Julian* – Volair
- Bar, Dekel* – Engage – ‘Elite Pro’ Maverick
- Cincola, John – ProXR John Cincola Signature Carbon
- Daescu, Andrei* – Selkirk Project 002
- Dawson, Callan – ProKennex Black Ace
- Deakin, Steve – Head Gravity
- Devilliers, Jay* – Vulcan V740 Max Jay Devilliers Signature Paddle
- Foster, Jack – Niupipo Explorer
- Frazier, Dylan* – Selkirk Project 002
- Gingrich, Dayne – ProXR John Cincola Signature Carbon
- Golden, Scott – Monarch Golden Axe
- Hewett, Rafa* – Joola
- Ignatowich, James* – Selkirk Project 002
- Johns, Ben* – Joola Ben Johns Hyperion CFS 16mm
- Johns, Collin* – Electrum Model E
- Johnson, JW* – Franklin
- Koller, AJ* – Joola Hyperion CFS 16MM
- Lange, Eric – Head Gravity
- Loong, Tyler* – Vulcan V730 Max Tyler Loong Signature Paddle
- McGuffin, Tyson* – Selkirk Labs Project 002
- Merchant, Altaf* – Onix Evoke Premier
- Navratil, Zane* – ProXR
- Newell, Ben – CRBN 1 (16mm)
- Newman, Riley* – GAMMA Riley Newman 206 (Signature Paddle)
- Nunnery, Rob – Selkirk SLK Halo
- Rettenmaier, Travis* – Selkirk SLK Halo 13mm
- Seckle, David – Head Gravity
- Smith, Patrick – Electrum Pro II
- Smith, Spencer – GAMMA Compass LH
- Staksrud, Federico* – Joola Ben Johns Hyperion CFS 16mm
- Taylor, Chuck – Joola Solaire CFS 14mm
- Warnick, Jeff – Gearbox GX5
- Weinbach, Dave – Paddletek Tempest Wave
- Wilson, Thomas* – CRBN 1X (14mm)
- Willson, Will – Head Gravity
- Witsken, Rick – Paddletek
- Wright, Matt* – Onix Evoke Premier
- Yates, Kyle* – Paddletek Bantam EX-L
- Young, DJ* – CRBN 2X (16mm)
Female Pro Pickleball Paddles
- Ansboury, Sarah – Head Extreme Tour
- Barr, Susannah – Selkirk Power Air
- Bellamy, Beth – ProXR Advantage Blackout 14
- Brascia, Maggie* – Selkirk Power Air
- Brascia, Mary* – Selkirk Project 002
- Bright, Anna* – Joola Solaire CFS 14mm
- Carr, Corrine – Vulcan V520 Control
- David, Vivienne* – CRBN 1X 16mm
- Esquivel, Michelle – CRBN (13mm)
- Fudge, Megan – GAMMA Legend
- Goldberg, Regina Franco – Joola Radius CGS 14MM
- Grechkina, Yana* – CRBN1 (13mm)
- Irvine, Jessie* – Engage – ‘Elite Pro’ Maverick
- Jansen, Lea* – Joola
- Jardim, Simone* – Joola Simone Jardim Hyperion CFS 16mm
- Johnson, Jorja* – Franklin Signature
- Jones, Allyce* – Joola Ben Johns Hyperion CFS 14mm
- Koop, Andrea* – Paddletek Tempest Wave Pro
- Kovalova, Lucy* – Onix Evoke Premier
- Newman, Lindsey* – GAMMA Lindsey Newman Havoc (Signature Paddle)
- Parenteau, Catherine* – Selkirk Vanguard Power Air Invikta
- Schneemann, Lacy – Joola Ben Johns Hyperion CFS 16mm
- Smith, Callie Jo* – Onix Evoke Premier
- Stratman, Lauren* – Electrum
- Tereschenko, Irina* – Paddletek Bantam EX-L
- Todd, Paris* – Selkirk SLK Halo
- Waters, Anna Leigh* – Paddletek Bantam TS-5
- Waters, Leigh* – Paddletek Phoenix Genesis
- Whitwell, Lee – ProXR Advantage Blackout 16
There you have it! The men’s and women’s pro pickleball paddles. We recommend purchasing your pickleball paddle from either Fromuth Pickleball or Pickleball Central. Both have been in the pickleball space for many years. They both give you time to test drive your paddle and offer free shipping for most of their paddles.
Which pickleball pro paddles do you like the best? Let us know in the comments below.
It is difficult to get an unbiased opinion on which paddles they think are the best as the are compensated to use the brand shown.
No question they are compensated for using the paddles. However, I would think the pros also methodically vet each paddle first as they, first and foremost, want to win matches.