Last week, we told you how pickleball became what it is today: a multi-billion dollar industry with millions of players. But what about the tech behind that boom?

The paddle market alone accounts for hundreds of millions of dollars — so how have paddles changed the game?

We’ve got another history lesson for you below.

Also in this issue:

• Crab man almost takes the point 🦀 

• Paddle evolution — from Charmander to Charizard 🔥 

• Got drip?💧 

• Colleges dropping serious cash on pickleball 🤑 

• Have you seen these new JOOLAs? 🤯 

Let’s cook. 🧑‍🍳

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

The deepest dinks this side of the Mississippi

Ever seen a crab on the court? Just watch this point from our HQ.

The front-left player in pink moves like a pro, almost crab-walking to get to those ultra-wide dinks and allowing him to return them deep ... impressively deep.

It doesn’t win him & his partner this point, but it sure is fun to watch.

🔗 See the crab man in action

POLL

FEATURED STORY

How paddles have changed

Pickleball paddles have evolved dramatically since the sport’s early days.

What started as crude wooden slabs with no spin has transformed into high-performance gear designed for power, spin and precision. Here’s how we got to Gen 4, the latest tech breakthrough sweeping the game right now:

Gen 0: The wood era (1965–1990s)

The first paddles were just thick plywood, inspired by table tennis but built like schoolyard paddleball rackets. Heavy and unforgiving, they worked — but barely.

Gen 1: The honeycomb core (1990s–2010s)

Paddle design took a major leap with polymer honeycomb cores and composite faces like fiberglass and graphite. This innovation made paddles:

✅ Lighter & more responsive – Players could swing faster with more control.
✅ More consistent – Expanded sweet spots meant fewer mishits.
✅ More spin-friendly – Composite faces gripped the ball better than wood.

By the mid-2000s, honeycomb paddles were the standard at all levels.

Gen 2: Thermoformed paddles & foam edge walls (2023–Present)

Thermoforming changed everything. This heat-pressing process created seamless, stiffer paddles with:

✅ Raw carbon fiber – More spin and control.
✅ Unibody construction – Improved power.
✅ Foam edge walls – Increased stability and a larger sweet spot.

Gen 2 paddles dominated competitive play — but they weren’t perfect. Core crushing (where the honeycomb core breaks down, making paddles illegal due to increased power) became a serious durability issue.

Gen 3: Floating core paddles (2024–Present)

Paddle manufacturers added more internal foam layers, creating a “floating core” that:

✅ Absorbs vibration – Reducing harsh feedback on off-center hits.
✅ Softens the feel – While still maintaining power.
✅ Improves durability – Less risk of core failure compared to standard honeycomb designs.

Examples include Gearbox Pro Power and JOOLA Gen 3/3S/Pro IV paddles, which use foam-injected cores for increased power and stability.

Gen 4: All foam

Enter Gen 4 paddles, built entirely (or mostly) from foam instead of honeycomb. This new construction dramatically changes how paddles flex, absorb energy and generate power. Expect:

✅ Bigger sweet spot – More consistent feel across the paddle face.
✅ Improved durability – No honeycomb core means no core crushing.
✅ Better control – More dwell time enhances spin and placement.
✅ Adjustable power – Foam density can be tuned to match play styles.

We’re just scratching the surface of what 100% foam paddles can do.

🔗 See the full story here

INSTRUCTION

The third-shot hybrid you need to try

You know the third-shot drop & the third-shot drive, but have you tried the third shot drip?

Instead of blasting a full-power drive or floating a soft drop, the drip shot is struck at 60-70% pace with a focus on topspin.

The key is to make the ball dip sharply at your opponent’s feet as they approach the kitchen. This creates indecision — do they volley it early or let it bounce? Either way, you’re forcing them into a tough shot.

How to hit it:

• Start like a drive to disguise the shot.

• Drop the paddle tip and brush up for topspin.

• Aim 4-5 feet behind the kitchen.

• Follow your shot and crash the net.

The drip shot works best against opponents who aren’t sprinting to the kitchen or who struggle with low, spin-heavy shots. Try it in your next game and watch your opponents struggle.

🔗 See it in action here

Schools nationwide are pouring millions into new courts, turning what was once a side attraction into a central part of student life.

→ The University of Alabama is adding 10 new pickleball courts to its Parker-Haun Tennis facility, responding to overwhelming demand from students. (Forehand)-Roll Tide!

The $1.6 million pickleball project at UofA isn’t the only major investment announced at schools this year. Check out what these schools are doing.

WHERE IS TEAM KITCHEN? 📍

Necker island pickleball paradise

The Kitchen team just got back from Richard Branson's private island in the British Virgin Islands for a week of non-stop pickleball.

We got to hang with some of our favorite people in pickleball, like PPA Tour Commissioner Connor Pardoe, our bestie Roscoe Bellamy and his family, NFL legends Drew Brees (see highlight above) and Terrell Owens, and top pros such as Gabe Tardio, Jesse Irvine, Donald Young, Connor Garnett and Kate Fahey.

HUGE thanks to Sir Branson and the entire Necker Island Pickleball Forum crew for such an unforgettable week. If you have a chance to go next year, DO IT.

🔗 Scope Drew Brees’ skills 

🔗 Check out Branson’s pickle game 

THE PROS

Handing out MLP draft report cards

The 2025 Major League Pickleball Premier Level and Challenger Level free-agency drafts were held Sunday and Monday, and multiple teams underwent a complete roster overhaul in the process.

We broke down the winners and losers from the draft and handed out grades for each team. You can find the full report card here, but here are some of the highlights:

D.C. Pickleball Team: A+

Prior roster: Dekel Bar, Jackie Kawamoto, Rachel Rohrabacher
Added: Riley Newman (#4 overall), Hanna Blatt (#29), Pat Smith (#40)

This is looking like a very strong team with the addition of Newman, who already led D.C. to a title once in 2023.

Los Angeles Mad Drops: A+

Prior roster: Hunter Johnson, Jade Kawamoto, Catherine Parenteau
Added: Quang Duong (#7), Thomas Wilson (#46), Angie Walker (#49)

Duong surprisingly fell to No. 7 overall, and it worked out to the benefit of LA, because they now have a very strong squad. It’s hard to imagine them ever losing a Dreambreaker with two of the top 5 men's singles players in Johnson and Duong and a strong women's singles player in Parenteau.

The Mad Drops have since placed Wilson (ongoing health issues) on Injured Reserve and replaced him on the six-player roster with Wes Burrows. Moving Wilson to the IR means he won’t be able to play MLP in 2025, but the Mad Drops appear to be looking beyond this year in the hopes that Wilson will be able to make a return to pro pickleball at some point in 2026.

At the Challenger level, The Kitchen’s own Nashville Chefs secured the No. 2, No. 3 and No. 9 overall selections, adding Anderson Scarpa, Marshall Brown and Michelle Esquivel to the roster. Ewa Radzikowska was the lone holdover from last season.

We are fired up about our squad — so be on the lookout for a “Meet the Chefs” story next week and plenty of Chefs content throughout the season.

There also were multiple post-draft trades announced Wednesday. Find out who is on the move here.

🔗 Major League Pickleball Premier Level draft grades

DON’T MISS

IQ level 1000 🧠

Whether you’re a top-level pro or a clever amateur with fast reflexes, the “blow-the-ball-over-the-net” move is Thomas Edison level of genius.

PRODUCT OF THE WEEK

The JOOLA Perseus Pro IV is here

While some paddle manufacturers are moving toward 100% foam cores (see above), JOOLA’s latest release is more about perfecting what was already good rather than starting something new from scratch.

The new Perseus Pro IV as well as the Agassi Pro and Graf Pro paddles still incorporate more foam, but in a strategically placed pocket inside the bottom corners/throat area of the paddle.

The new design, which JOOLA is calling Tech Flex Power — or “TFP" — results in more stability and allows the paddle to flex more, providing a better response on off-center hits, an enhanced feel and more dwell time compared to the brand’s popular 3S paddles that were released last summer.

Check out our in-depth review of the Perseus Pro IV here.

🔗 Shop JOOLAs latest release

QUICK HITS

• That’s a fine: This is what aggressive pickleball looks like

• Woah: This game just keeps getting crazier  

• Home court: How much does a court really cost?

• Ouch: Have you ever seen a tweener-bodybag? Now you have

REFERRALS

Earn swag while helping us grow 💌

Earn free pickleball gear for referring friends & family to our newsletter.

• 5 referrals = The Kitchen bumper sticker & bag tag

• 10 referrals = The Kitchen hat of your choice

• 25 referrals = The Kitchen t-shirt of your choice

• 45 referrals = A JOOLA bag

• 100 referrals = Any JOOLA paddle

• 500 referrals = Come party at our Austin HQ! We'll play & drill with pros & film viral content together for our Instagram

You currently have 0 referrals, only 10 away from receiving A Kitchen Hat.

Copy & paste this link to share with your family, friends, & in social media posts: https://thekitchenpickle.beehiiv.com/subscribe?ref=PLACEHOLDER