Cracked Paddles Podcast (Pickleball Podcast)

AC and Kevin catch up after a chaotic stretch that included illness, travel, and one of AC’s roughest tournament experiences yet. AC recounts suffering full-body cramps during singles in Mesa, the dehydration that ultimately forced him off the court, and the IV treatment he needed afterward. That leads into a larger conversation about the current pro pickleball landscape, including rankings, quali...

AC and Kevin start by preparing Kevin’s brother Brian for his first 5.0 tournament, breaking down the most common mistakes they see from 4.5-level players. From overhitting drives and forcing offense to poor transition decisions, counter technique, and unclear shot intentions, the guys explain the adjustments that can help intermediate and advanced players take the next step. Later, they recap the...

AC and Kevin break down the end of the Columbus Sliders’ MLP season in Newport Beach, including the playoff loss to Brooklyn and AC’s difficult DreamBreaker performance against Christian Alshon. AC reflects on the pressure of returning to singles after months without a DreamBreaker, lineup decisions that didn’t work out, what he learned from his first MLP season, and whether he can earn another op...

AC and Kevin break down one of the strangest controversies of the season after Thomas Yu and Max “Purple Jesus” Manthou were forfeited from an APP event over matching-clothing requirements. The guys dig into the rule itself, the conflict between tournament policies and player sponsorship obligations, and whether the punishment fit the situation. They also discuss recent APP format changes, includi...

AC and Kevin return with plenty to catch up on, starting with injury updates before breaking down the end of the Major League Pickleball regular season. They discuss the electric atmosphere at MLP Orlando, John Lucian Goins’ continued rise, the first round of the playoffs in Dallas, and the newly announced matchups for Newport Beach. AC also looks ahead to potentially helping the Columbus Sliders...

AC and Kevin return after a brief break to recap the latest Major League Pickleball action in San Diego and Chicago. AC breaks down the Columbus Sliders’ run to the San Diego final, the difficult matchup against Dallas, and how the Chicago results affect the team’s chances of earning a first-round playoff bye. The guys also discuss DreamBreaker strategy, the rapidly changing MLP standings, and AC’...

AC and Kevin break down the biggest storylines from MLP Grand Rapids, including the Shock's dominant performance, Georgia and Anna Leigh Johnson's first women's doubles loss of the season, and the tactical decisions that shaped the championship weekend. They also discuss the growing parity across Major League Pickleball and which teams are emerging as legitimate title contenders heading into the s...

AC and Kevin recap everything that happened at MLP New York, breaking down the biggest surprises from the weekend, standout team performances, and how recent roster moves are already changing the league. The guys discuss which teams are beginning to separate themselves, the impact of recent trades, and why chemistry continues to be one of the biggest factors in Major League Pickleball. Later, AC s...

AC and Kevin react to another chaotic week in Major League Pickleball, breaking down the biggest trades, roster moves, and storylines coming out of MLP St. Pete. They discuss team chemistry, DreamBreaker strategy, the impact of recent player movement, and which teams are best positioned as the season heads toward the playoffs. Later, the conversation shifts from the pro tour to practical improveme...

AC and Kevin are back for Episode 40, and the conversation starts with Kevin sharing the details of a serious medical scare that landed him in the hospital. The guys discuss what happened, recovery, and the challenges of balancing work, travel, and tournament play during a busy stretch of the pickleball season. They then break down MLP St. Louis, including standout performances, team results, and...

Kevin returns from the Philippines and shares everything he learned from an eye-opening week of clinics, tournaments, and community events with Friday Pickleball. The guys discuss the incredible growth of pickleball in the Philippines, why participation is skyrocketing, and how the sport is developing differently than it has in the United States. Along the way, Kevin shares stories from his travel...

AC and Kevin break down everything from MLP Columbus, including the teams and players who helped themselves most through the first stretch of the season. From standout performances and surprise results to roster construction and trade implications, the guys analyze which organizations should be feeling confident and which teams still have major questions to answer moving forward. Later, the conver...

AC and Kevin break down everything that happened at MLP Dallas, including the biggest surprises of the weekend, standout player performances, and why certain teams exceeded expectations while others struggled to find consistency. AC gives an inside perspective from competing during the event, discussing team chemistry, momentum swings, and how strategy changes throughout a long MLP weekend. The co...

AC and Kevin break down the biggest conversations happening around professional pickleball, including recent tournament takeaways, player performances, and how the pro game continues evolving at the highest level. The guys discuss strategy trends, confidence swings, and what separates players who are consistently rising from those struggling to maintain momentum on tour. The conversation also expa...

AC and Kevin break down one of the biggest breakout performances in recent pickleball, diving deep into Tama Shimabukuro’s rise and why his game has suddenly become one of the most talked-about stories on tour. The guys analyze what makes Tama so effective, including his movement, hands, court awareness, and ability to transition his tennis background into high-level pickleball success. They also...

AC and Kevin catch up after Kevin’s honeymoon in China, diving into his experience exploring the country and getting a firsthand look at the growing pickleball scene overseas. From playing at local clubs to seeing which paddle brands are actually being used, they discuss how the sport is developing in Asia and what it might take for American brands to break into that market. Later, the conversatio...

AC and Kevin dive into the PPA’s Asia swing, breaking down what the events looked like on the ground and how players experienced the transition to international competition. They discuss travel demands, scheduling challenges, and how conditions impacted play, while also evaluating the overall level of competition and which performances stood out throughout the trip. Beyond the matches themselves,...

AC and Kevin break down the latest PPA tournament, diving into the biggest results, standout performances, and the matches that shaped the weekend. They discuss which players are trending in the right direction, who surprised them most, and how the event fits into the broader landscape of the pro pickleball season. Beyond the results, the conversation expands into larger tour storylines, including...

AC and Kevin break down their official Top 5 paddles of 2026, debating what actually matters when ranking the best gear in today’s game. They start from the ground up with value and consistency before moving into more advanced options, comparing feel, spin, and overall performance across a range of paddle types. From dependable control paddles to high-end power options, the conversation highlights...

AC and Kevin break down the biggest takeaways from PPA Texas, diving into standout performances, surprising results, and what the tournament revealed about the current state of the pro game. They discuss which players are gaining momentum, how certain matchups played out, and what trends are starting to emerge as the season continues to take shape. Beyond the results, the conversation shifts towar...

AC and Kevin are back with a loaded episode of Cracked Paddles, starting with AC’s Major League Pickleball draft experience and what the latest MLP format changes could mean for roster construction, singles specialists, and team strategy moving forward. They also mix in some early episode banter on wild weather, travel, and AC’s unexpected chance to hit with Tommy Paul before getting into the bigg...

AC and Kevin Dong break down a packed week in pickleball, starting with the biggest takeaways from PPA Mesa and the storylines that shaped the draw. They talk standout performances, what looked different in singles matchups, and how the tournament results fit into the bigger picture of who’s rising, who’s steady, and who still has questions to answer moving forward. From there, the guys shift to K...

On this episode of Cracked Paddles, AC and Kevin Dong dive into the latest shake-ups in the pro pickleball world, starting with major MLP news — including the elimination of the Challenger division and what that means for players trying to break into Premier. The guys debate format structure, the volatility of singles in a team setting, and whether “specialists” could realistically thrive under th...

Alex and Kevin are back on Cracked Paddles with a packed episode covering pro pickleball movement, paddle reviews, and some classic side tangents. Alex checks in from South Florida while ramping back up from meniscus surgery — but the comeback hasn’t been smooth (Achilles tendinitis + athlete’s foot aren’t helping). With Newport Beach approaching, it’s all about getting healthy and finding rhythm...

In this episode of Cracked Paddles, Alex Crum and Kevin Dong break down a loaded week on tour, starting with a full recap of PPA Lakeland and what the results say about the current pecking order in pro pickleball. From there, the guys tackle a spicy debate: Is having a tennis background actually a disadvantage in pickleball? They dig into why some former tennis players struggle early, whether star...