Jay Devilliers, "the Flying Frenchman," is one of pro pickleball's most accomplished veterans — a former Wichita State tennis standout who transitioned into the pro ranks in 2019 and has stayed near the top of the sport for over half a decade.

In this season-closing episode, Jay sits down with Roscoe and Jared for a wide-ranging conversation tracing his path from a hyper-competitive French sporting family through Spanish tennis academies, Wichita State doubles, and into the earliest days of pro pickleball. They cover his partnership with Pat Smith, his rivalry with Ben Johns and Collin Johns, and how he's stayed relevant through injuries and the sport's rapid evolution.

Jay breaks down his surreal run as a US Open hitting partner, including a 90-minute session with Rafael Nadal, strategically set up by Carlos Moya, that left his hands blistered and bleeding. He also details the six-month ultimatum his wife gave him in 2020 to prove himself in pickleball or go find a real job, a deadline COVID nearly wiped out before he committed to the sport full time in 2021.

Jay also opens up about splitting from longtime partner Pat Smith after sponsor pressure pushed him toward a pairing with Tyson McGuffin, the epic finals battles with Ben Johns and Collin Johns that helped shape Riley Newman and Matt Wright's rise, and his philosophy on body bags, including firing one back at an opponent and the unforgettable moment Anna Leigh Waters caught him with one of her own. He closes out reflecting on raising four kids while grinding on tour and his goal to grow pickleball in Europe.

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Timestamps:

1:44 — Welcome to the season finale

6:48 — Growing up the youngest of six in France

10:56 — Chasing tennis to Spain and Wichita State

13:07 — Becoming a dad as a senior in college

16:05 — Becoming a US Open hitting partner

17:39 — Practicing with Rafael Nadal

21:33 — Building a career after the US Open

24:01 — Finding pickleball at Chicken N Pickle

26:51 — The six-month ultimatum to go pro

27:53 — Wichita's early pickleball hotbed

33:31 — Cracking the code on Ben Johns

37:08 — Why he and Pat Smith split up

41:03 — Battling back from injury in 2024

45:03 — How the sport has changed since 2020

50:09 — Reinventing his game every year

51:48 — The body bag debate

53:56 — The Anna Leigh Waters body bag

55:31 — Tennis vs. pickleball: which is harder

58:22 — The "Two Anna Leighs" hypothetical

1:00:03 — The craziest moment: Zane's chainsaw serve

1:02:03 — Who talks the most trash on tour

1:03:24 — Legacy, longevity, and growing pickleball in Europe

Will Howells is a former top-15 US junior tennis player and Notre Dame standout who switched to pickleball in 2023 and quickly climbed the ranks, now stepping onto the PPA and MLP tours as one of the newest faces on tour.

In this episode, Will sits down with Roscoe and Jared to trace his path from junior tennis dreams and a Notre Dame ankle injury to grinding out results on the APP tour while still working full-time. They dig into his draft night, his rise as MLP's "team of misfits," and the mindset that carried him through every step.

Will breaks down his draft day call from Ryan Harwood, becoming "the man" on the APP tour after Andre, Gabe, and the Johnson 5 left for MLP, and the tough multi-month decision to walk away from APP entirely for a full PPA and MLP schedule.

Will also gives his own retelling of the infamous Anna Leigh Waters vs. Hayden "Big H" sideline altercation.

Delivered by @whiteclaw!

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Timestamps:

1:53 — Growing Up in Richmond, Virginia

3:19 — Two Half-Siblings and a Full One

4:44 — Cracking the Top 15 in Junior Tennis

7:33 — Committing to Notre Dame

10:58 — The Ankle Break That Ended His Season

11:34 — A Friend Drags Him to the Park

12:49 — JW Takes Him Under His Wing

14:59 — Losing to Daescu Six Times

17:22 — Public Enemy #1 on the AP Tour

20:09 — The McDonald's Call That Changed Everything

23:26 — Betting His Career on the PPA

27:25 — He Popped the Question

28:35 — Lining Up Noe, Rachel, Megan, and Tyra

31:00 — Snapping His Ankle on a Passing Shot

36:41 — Shrinking the Court: Singles Reinvented

39:23 — The Best Beard in Pickleball

40:37 — Racing Motorcycle Life

44:00 — The Secret to Closing Out Matches

49:29 — Breaking Down Anna Leigh vs. Big H

51:46 — Inside the DAPS Shoe Deal

Brooke Buckner is the #4 women's singles player in the world and a former Division I tennis

player at Michigan, known for some of the hardest ground strokes in the game, men or women.

In this episode, Brooke sits down with Roscoe and Jared to trace her path from junior tennis and college coaching at Michigan, Yale, and UNC Charlotte to becoming a stay-at-home mom in 2020 and, almost by accident, one of pickleball's top singles players. They dig into her training with Mike Wolf, her run with the Dallas Flash, and her near-upset of Anna Lee Waters.

Brooke opens up about walking away from a pro tennis track at her coach's advice, becoming a stay-at-home mom during COVID, and how her mother pushed her onto a pickleball court as a way to get her competitive again. She breaks down her jump from rec-league pickleball to the pro tour, admitting she barely trained for singles in the early days and got in "at the right time" before the women's field got deep.

Brooke also shares the story of going up 9-4 on Anna Lee Waters before the match slipped away, why she thinks she'll beat her "once" before retiring, and what it's been like building a relationship with Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf through Joola, including the text Agassi sent her after a tough loss. She closes out on her new doubles partnership with Caitlin Christian, her goal of reaching a championship Sunday in doubles, and what she wants her legacy to be as a mom who kept chasing her career.

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Timestamps:

1:25 — Brooke joins the podcast

2:07 — Life with the Dallas Flash

5:15 — MLP vs. singles focus

6:04 — Rating her own singles and doubles game

8:35 — Growing up in Cleveland

9:50 — Junior tennis and going pro young

12:33 — Playing at Michigan

18:27 — Marriage, kids, and leaving coaching

19:53 — How her mom got her into pickleball

24:34 — First pro pickleball events

24:38 — Breaking into the top of women's singles

31:19 — Working with Mike Wolf

33:39 — Signing with Joola

32:45 — Relationship with Andre Agassi

33:48 — The Insane Anna Leigh Waters match

40:56 — The next generation of "pickle kids"

47:08 — Goals in doubles

53:38 — Legacy and what's next

In this episode, Dave sits down with Roscoe and Jared to trace his winding path to the pickleball mic — from calling high school sports in Memphis to ball boying and interviewing tennis legends as a teenager, and finally becoming the defining voice of the sport's biggest broadcasts.

Dave breaks down his origin story in detail: growing up in a sports-obsessed family, his early TV career, and the chance golf cart conversation with Hank Haney that connected Tom Dundon and Connor Pardoe — a meeting that helped shape the modern PPA. He also shares how he almost missed his own start in broadcasting after years working outside sports media entirely.

Dave also opens up about the craft behind the mic: where catchphrases like "snowman," "crooked number," and "floor is lava" actually came from, how he handles online criticism by blocking and moving on, and his predictions for which discipline — mixed doubles or singles — will be the one to break pickleball into the mainstream.

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Timestamps:

1:02 — Meet Dave Fleming, The Most Listened-To Man in Pickleball

1:57 — Getting Recognized at Tournaments (And at a Concert)

3:10 — The Chris Collinsworth Comparison

4:18 — His Parents Met at a Copier in Pittsburgh

5:35 — The High School TV Station That Started It All

6:42 — Ball Boying Jimmy Connors, Then Interviewing Him Minutes Later

8:15 — Why Pro Tennis Wasn't in the Cards

9:21 — Choosing Marketing Over Sports Broadcasting in College

10:14 — Writing Periodontal Brochures for Delta Dental

11:01 — Blocking Out Steelers Scores on Championship Sunday

14:26 — Discovering Pickleball at 49 Through a Tennis Friend

16:34 — Meeting Adam Stone and Winning Their First Tournament

18:51 — The Email From Steve Dawson That Changed Everything

21:03 — The Golf Cart Ride That Connected Tom Dundon and Connor Pardoe

22:57 — Building the PPA From a Backyard Pickleball Court

26:28 — Introducing Tom Dundon and Connor Pardoe

29:15 — Finding His Voice as the Voice of Pickleball

31:02 — The Broadcasters Who Shaped His Style

33:20 — How Dave Handles the Haters

35:11 — Navigating Negativity in The Community

43:03 — The Loudest Roar He's Ever Heard on the Mic

44:47 — The Match That Gave Him Chills: Kalamotos vs. Waters/Bright

48:36 — What's Needed to Break Pickleball Into the Mainstream

51:21 — Is There a "Dinking Problem" in Pickleball?

53:25 — Mixed Doubles vs. Singles: Which One Breaks Through?

55:14 — What He Wants His Broadcasting Legacy to Be

56:29 — Breaking Down His Catchphrases: Snowman, Crooked Number, and More

59:07 — The Story Behind "Scratch My Back With a Hacksaw"

1:01:26 — What Dave Wants His Legacy to Be

Hannah Blatt was one of the top squash players in the world before transitioning into professional pickleball, where she's now ranked 22nd in singles and become one of the most followed players in the sport on social media.

In this episode, Hannah sits down with Roscoe and Jared to trace her path from elite junior and college squash to professional pickleball, and how she became one of the first players in the sport to build a following around her personal brand rather than just her results on the court.

Hannah breaks down her rise through junior and college squash at Drexel, including a brutal sophomore season playing the number one spot where she lost nearly every match, and how that experience shaped her decision to eventually walk away from the sport and throw herself into pickleball instead.

Hannah also opens up about becoming one of pickleball's first influencers before it was common, how a mixed doubles partnership with Grayson Goldin turned into an engagement, and her goals to crack the top 20 in all three divisions and eventually go pro at the highest level.

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Timestamps:

1:13 — Meet Hannah Blatt

2:16 — Moving to Florida for squash

9:05 — What squash actually is

13:21 — Ivy League recruiting and Drexel

14:56 — Losing almost every match at #1

22:08 — Turning Pro in a Sport With No Money

26:23 — First time playing pickleball

27:37 — Building a following, going all in

33:38 — Becoming pickleball's first influencer

38:50 — The road to going pro in pickleball

44:03 — Cracking Top 22 in the World

46:16 — A Mixed Doubles Partner Becomes a Fiancé

51:02 — The Top 20 Goal and an Olympic Dream

52:26 — The Squash Backhand That Carries Over to Pickleball

Jared Paul is the co-host of Pickleballers and the founder of The Kitchen Pickleball — the largest and most engaged pickleball community and media company in the world, with over two million cumulative members, followers, and email subscribers across platforms.

In this episode, Roscoe flips the script and puts Jared in the guest seat for the first time, joined by Dane Illif, Jared's longtime co-founder and right-hand man at The Kitchen. Together, they trace the full origin story — from a broke music startup in Oakland to building the brand that helped define modern pickleball culture.

Jared opens up about the winding road that led him to Austin: surviving 9/11 in New York, playing in a funk band called Frontline Theory, running a nonprofit in San Francisco, and finally landing at a digital agency where he realized he was unemployable and couldn't work on someone else's dream. The Kitchen didn't start as a business plan — it started as a Facebook group for Austin pickleball players during COVID, born out of a failed music company and a chance invite to play at a bar called Bolden Acres.

Jared and Dane also get into the behind-the-scenes of how The Kitchen actually became a business — from a $1,000/month deal with an Amazon paddle brand, to producing an $8,000 Electrum commercial in Vegas, to landing an early partnership with Connor Pardus and the PPA before anyone else believed in them. They break down why they never bought a single follower, what made the kitchen impossible to replicate, and why Jared believes singles pickleball is the format that takes the sport to TV.

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Timestamps:

1:09 — Jared in the Hot Seat

2:17 — Dane Joins the Story

4:29 — The Broke Oakland Music Startup

9:38 — Growing Up & Early Life in Atlanta

10:10 — Bombing the Interview, Then Getting the Job

12:34 — Seeing 9/11 from NYC Rooftop

14:19 — Playing in a Band Called Frontline Theory

16:07 — Quitting Sales & The Power of Now

17:18 — Building a Nonprofit in San Francisco

19:29 — Working at Salesforce & a Digital Agency

21:06 — Why the Early Companies Failed

22:18 — Community First vs. Product First

27:08 — How Pickleball Found Them During COVID

28:02 — The Kitchen Is Born

29:07 — Dane Create the Logo

32:23 — When It Became a Real Business

34:03 — Trying to Make a Pickleball (and Failing)

36:28 — The $8K Electrum Commercial in Vegas

38:21 — The Early PPA Partnership

39:44 — The Kitchen by the Numbers Today

43:51 — Never Buying a Single Follower

45:14 — Top Tips for Creators

48:10 — Most Viral Post of All Time

49:24 — Is the Pickleball Boom Over?

50:44 — Favorite Pickleball Events

54:24 — What Pickleball Has Given Them

57:33 — The Future of Pickleball & The Kitchen

In this episode, Danni-Elle sits down with Roscoe and Jared fresh off a run to the MLP finals in Austin. She breaks down what it's like competing on American soil for the first time, why she's unapologetic about staying rooted in Australia, and why she believes the sport's next wave of talent is coming from the Asia-Pacific region.

Danni-Elle opens up about her table tennis career — how her mom and dad met through the sport, how she rose to the Australian national team, and how it all ended with a cold email telling her "good luck with the rest of your life" after a contract technicality they used to push her out. She traces the unlikely path from that moment to playing pickleball on a wood floor on International Pickleball Day with "a bunch of old people" — and how a free-drinks tournament turned into a full-blown obsession.

Danni-Elle also gets into the confidence and swagger she brings to every court, the moment she told Roscoe she's the best women's right-side player in the world, and her completely unbothered declaration that Anna Leigh Waters already knows she's coming for her crown. She shares why being told she "wasn't the look" sponsors were seeking only made her more committed to playing her own way — and why she's betting on herself to crack the top five within a year.

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Timestamps:

1:10 — Welcome & Intro

1:38 — MLP Breakout and First Impressions

3:05 — Paving the Way for Australian Pickleball

4:01 — Joey Wild and the 1:20 AM Drive to Train

5:30 — Where Does She Rank Right Now?

6:28 — Why She's Staying in Australia

7:21 — Is Asia the Future of Pickleball?

12:22 — From Ping-Pong to Pickleball

13:08 — The Origin of the Name "Danielle"

14:06 — Growing Up in Australia with Three Brothers

14:55 — Table Tennis National Team — and Getting Kicked Out

16:27 — Discovering Pickleball on International Pickleball Day

17:33 — When Pickleball Gets Too Serious

19:40 — The Fun vs. Business Tipping Point

22:49 — Style Differences: Australia vs. the States

26:07 — What Gives Her That Energy on Court

27:09 — The Clown Incident with ALW

29:59 — Confidence, Competition, and the "Hell No" Mentality

33:14 — Theater, Brothers, and Where the Confidence Came From

34:47 — Jesse and the "I Don't Like People" Introduction

35:53 — Tennis vs. Ping-Pong as a Pickleball Prerequisite

39:27 — Most Underrated Player: Georgia Johnson

40:15 — Getting Told She "Wasn't the Look"

42:39 — Goals: Top Five in One Year, Best in Three

51:56 — Where Does Australia Rank Globally?

53:13 — Coming for ALW's Crown

55:03 — Dream Doubles Partner

In this episode, Hannah sits down with Roscoe and Jared to pull back the curtain on the Johns family, the wild early days of the PPA, and what it really took to turn pickleball into a legitimate professional sport. It's part origin story, part behind-the-scenes tour, and entirely worth your time.

Hannah opens up about growing up as one of seven homeschooled kids on 12 acres, how Ben showed freakish hand-eye coordination before he could even talk much, and the moment the family realized pickleball might actually be something real — when the first major Franklin sponsorship came in and changed everything.

Hannah also gets into the grind of being PPA Employee #4 — arranging player housing, getting screamed at when a pro peed in a host's garden, and the relentless skepticism from networks and fans who said tickets would never sell. She shares what she's most proud of: helping prove every single naysayer wrong.

Delivered by @DoorDash! 🚪

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Timestamps:

1:14 — Welcome, Hannah Johns

2:09 — Why Hannah Stepped Away from Sideline Reporting

3:19 — Three Years, Zero Missed Tournaments

4:05 — Traveling the Tour with Ben and Colin

5:28 — How Ryan Sherry Got Hannah Into the PPA

6:00 — Living in the Czech Republic and the Rough Return Home

7:34 — Growing Up Johns: Homeschooled on 12 Acres

10:31 — The Siblings: A Family of Savants

12:24 — How the Johns Family Found Pickleball

16:13 — Who Had the X Factor Growing Up?

17:03 — Ben at Age 3: The Pool Cue Story

22:37 — When Pickleball Was Just Another Hobby for Ben

25:27 — Colin Signing with Electrum and the Early Sponsorship Era

26:04 — How the Johns Family Reacted to the Brothers' Rise

28:25 — Hannah's Goal: Not Being Known as Ben's Sister

30:04 — The Sideline Reporter Craft: Prep, Notes, and Questions

31:15 — Crying in Hotel Bathrooms Before Going on Air

32:12 — Crazy Stories from Tour: The Incident That Almost Sent Someone to Jail

34:20 — The Housing Program and the Garden Incident

36:35 — Misunderstandings About the Early Days of Pickleball

40:41 — The Real Milestones: Salaries, Ticket Sales, and Networks

44:15 — Hannah's Proudest Accomplishment

44:49 — Proving Every Naysayer Wrong

46:01 — The Moment Ben Started Getting Recognized in Public

49:12 — Could Hannah Go Pro? The Black Sheep of the Family

51:30 — The Best Sideline Interview Hannah Ever Did

52:24 — What Most People Misunderstand About Ben Johns

53:55 — Where Hannah Sees Pickleball in 5 Years

In this episode, Grayson sits down with Roscoe and Jared to share the full story of suffering two strokes at 30 years old — how it happened, what those six days in the hospital were like, and what his road back to the court has looked like. It's one of the most raw and honest conversations the show has ever had.

Grayson breaks down exactly how it unfolded: a chiropractic adjustment after a tournament left something feeling off, and nine days later he woke up unable to form sentences. He traces the moment on court when water started "pouring into his head," the frantic trip to the ER, and the doctor delivering the news that he'd had not one but two strokes — visible as two dark spots on his brain scan.

Grayson also opens up about his path to pickleball — from being ranked number one in the country in junior tennis at 12, to selling life insurance after college, to stumbling onto packed pickleball courts in Sarasota and deciding to go all-in. He shares what it felt like walking into Atlanta and watching Federico and Hayden on center court, the moment he knew this was it, and why he still believes he can be number one in the world.

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Timestamps:

1:03 — Welcome & Intro

2:28 — Two Strokes at 30: The Health Scare Begins

7:31 — Waking Up Unable to Speak

10:01 — Racing to the Hospital

14:49 — The ER, the Diagnosis, and Six Days of Tests

18:09 — What Actually Caused the Strokes

22:11 — Little Grayson: Born in Chicago, Raised on Tennis

25:06 — Ranked #1 in the Country at 12

30:07 — College Tennis, IMG, and Realizing It Wasn't Enough

34:11 — Life After Tennis: Insurance Sales and Real Estate

37:39 — Discovering Pickleball at the Country Club

46:14 — Flying to Atlanta, Going All-In

52:17 — The Infamous Mixed Doubles Point with Shelby Bates

1:04:49 — Power Tips and Branding Advice for Up-and-Comers

1:07:17 — What the Strokes Taught Him About Pickleball and Life

JW and Jorja Johnson are the most decorated sibling team in professional pickleball, known for transforming the game with the JW Johnson flick and the Jorja Johnson fire — two of the most talked-about weapons on tour.

In this episode, JW and Jorja sit down with Roscoe and Jared to trace their unlikely path from Pittsburgh, Kansas to the top of the pro game. They get into the zero-pressure upbringing that made it all possible, the South Florida training culture they helped build, and what it actually takes to stay dominant in a sport evolving as fast as pickleball.

Jorja breaks down what it was like to be stolen from the Dallas Flash in the MLP draft, landing on the New Jersey Fives alongside Anna Leigh Waters — a move nobody saw coming. JW also reveals he's never had a real conversation with Ben Johns off the court, and addresses for the first time whether a JW-Ben partnership has ever been on the table.

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Timestamps:

1:07 — Welcome & Introducing JW and Jorja Johnson

2:33 — Growing Up in Pittsburgh, Kansas

5:20 — How COVID Sparked Their Pickleball Journey

8:52 — Early Days: Bad Reps, Johnny Goldberg & First Tournaments

10:21 — The $300 Hilton Head Moment That Changed Everything

13:06 — Building the South Florida Training Scene

19:51 — Julie Johnson's Academy and the Rise of a Squad

24:43 — When the Money Started Getting Real

26:26 — Power Balance Scam, Franklin Deal & Seeing Your Face in Dick's

29:04 — Signing Underwear and Knowing You've Made It

34:46 — MLP, the Dallas Flash, and Becoming Stars

40:33 — The Draft Shock: Jorja Stolen to the New Jersey Fives

45:06 — Playing with Anna Leigh & What That Partnership Looks Like

47:26 — How They Stay Dominant: Film, Evolution, and the Tui

49:08 — JW's Hands: The Secret Behind the Fastest Reactions on Tour

54:22 — Life Off the Court: Padel, Cinnamon Bread & Movies

56:44 — Biggest Rivals and the Mindset Behind Not Having One

59:19 — Has JW Ever Thought About Teaming with Ben Johns?

1:01:09 — Greatest Moments

Tama Shimabukuro is a 15-year-old professional pickleball player who became an overnight sensation after reaching the singles final at the Atlanta Slam, finishing fourth in men's doubles, and earning the full-throated backing of an entire crowd that couldn't stop chanting his name.

In this episode, Tama calls in with Roscoe and Jared just days after his historic Atlanta run to break down what that week actually felt like from inside the storm. They cover the crowd moments, the mental game, and how a kid from Hawaii ends up on the sport's biggest stage.

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Timestamps:

1:00 — Tama on life after Atlanta

1:34 — Was it an out-of-body experience?

2:09 — The crowd, the chants, and the chaos

4:03 — The MJ shrug explained

6:25 — Messages flooding in after the run

6:56 — Breaking down the Fed match

8:48 — Is he actually that calm, or just built different?

10:14 — Was the breakout a surprise?

11:15 — Background: skateboarder to pickleball

12:36 — Self-taught: 10 hours of rec a day

14:16 — Life on the road with Mama Tama

17:08 — Sponsorship and partnership questions

18:19 — Pros he studies, dream doubles partners

20:41 — Fan Q&A

22:19 — Advice for young players

23:48 — Toughest opponent so far

24:26 — Message to new fans

Anna Bright is the #2 ranked women's pickleball player in the world, an MLP champion, and one of the sport's most magnetic personalities — a Cal Berkeley graduate who went from Pacific Crest Trail solo hiker to professional athlete in under a year.

In this episode, Anna sits down with Roscoe and Jared to pull back the curtain on her journey from junior tennis to the top of pickleball, the business decisions that defined her career, and the personal dynamics that come with competing at the highest level. The conversation is candid, funny, and surprisingly raw — exactly what you'd expect from someone who's never been afraid to say what she thinks.

Anna breaks down the story behind "The Girlies" — her viral brand partnership with Rachel Rachel Rohrabacher — and what it was like to walk away from one of pickleball's most beloved duos. She opens up about the game-theory moment that led her to reach out to Anna Lee Waters, including the part nobody knew: she'd already said no once before.

Anna also gets into the tension between her fiery on-court persona and the content creator she's becoming off it, why yoga and breath work have quietly transformed the last six months of her life, and what she actually thinks about the yelling controversy that made this podcast feel like it might never happen.

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Timestamps:

0:00 - Start

1:02 — Welcome Anna Bright

1:46 — Clearing the Air: The Kate Twitter Moment

4:01 — Growing Up in Fort Worth & Junior Tennis

8:42 — Fractured Back at 13 & High School Reset

12:50 — The College Recruiting Process & Choosing Cal Berkeley

17:42 — The Pacific Crest Trail: Solo, 2,500 Miles, 113 Days

24:19 — How Pickleball Found Her

30:49 — Meeting James Ignatowich

36:25 — Building a Brand: The Rise of The Girlies

46:19 — How Playing Full-Time Changes Your Relationship With the Sport

52:04 — The Game Theory Decision: Leaving Rachel for Anna Lee

1:01:27 — What It's Like Playing With the Greatest of All Time

1:07:02 — Biggest Threats on Tour

1:09:24 — Pickleball in Asia & the Sport's Global Future

1:13:53 — Most Entertaining Players to Watch

1:15:47 — What She Wants From the Sport Long-Term

1:22:57 — Fan Q&A: Box Breathing, Yoga & Staying Injury-Free

1:25:56 — The Power 50 Ranking Reaction

Roscoe Bellamy is the co-host of The Pickleballers and a professional pickleball singles player currently ranked #6 in the world. A product of a tennis dynasty — his father founded Tennis Channel and his mother was a pro player — Roscoe rose to become the number one nationally ranked junior in the United States before a series of devastating injuries derailed his path to the pro tour.

In this episode, Roscoe sits down with Jared and longtime friend Wesley Burroughs for a rare look at the man behind the mic. The conversation covers Roscoe's full journey from tennis prodigy to pro pickleball player, the mental shift that unlocked his best pickleball, and what it actually takes to compete at the top of the sport while running one of the game's biggest media brands.

Roscoe opens up about the two years he lost to a stress fracture at fifteen — a period that stripped him of his identity as a top junior and sent him through a grueling rehab circuit alongside the likes of Anthony Davis and Mike Trout. Two hip surgeries in college effectively ended his pro dream, and it wasn't until a Hawaii trip with Hunter and Yates Johnson that pickleball entered the picture — leading to a sandbagged Pickleball Slam alongside Matt Manassie just two weeks into the sport.

Roscoe also gets into the mental transformation that fueled his breakout 2025 run — winning his first PPA gold in Lakeland, reaching finals in Vegas, and finally finding the "dog" in his game that singles pickleball demands. He shares details on his new paddle deal with Luzz, his plans to launch the Pickleball Collective instructional platform, and his goal of finishing 2026 in the top three in the world.

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Timestamps:

1:10 — Introducing Roscoe & Wes

2:20 — Growing Up in a Tennis Family

5:00 — Becoming #1 in the Nation at 12

9:12 — Competing Internationally & the Pro Dream

12:01 — The Back Injury That Changed Everything

14:24 — Scholarship to UCLA & Hip Surgeries

17:22 — Mom Discovers Pickleball

20:34 — Going All In on Pickleball

22:35 — Beating Agassi and Roddick for $10k

25:15 — First Pro Tournament in Cincinnati

27:46 — Signing During Tour Wars

29:50 — The Mental Shift That Unlocked His Best Pickleball

32:35 — Finding the Dog: Singles Is a War

35:19 — Goals for 2026

38:32 — Balancing Pro Play, Content & The Podcast

45:46 — Breaking Down the Competition

53:13 — New Paddle Deal with Luzz

54:53 — Life at Home, Family & Girlfriend

James Ignatowich is a former top professional pickleball player turned paddle company founder, best known for creating RPM — one of the fastest-growing and most talked-about paddle brands in the sport.

In this episode, James joins Roscoe and Jared virtually from Shenzhen, China, where he's living full-time and running RPM's operations on the ground. They get into why James has zero regrets about leaving the tour, what it actually takes to build a paddle company from scratch, and why being in China is the biggest competitive advantage in the game right now.

James opens up about his PPA termination, calling it suspicious given RPM's early success, and shares a telling detail — he was already mentally checked out of pro play before it happened, more excited about the company than any upcoming tournament. He also reacts to Ben Johns calling him the most talented player he's ever faced, and why that compliment doesn't quite land the way you'd expect.

James also gets into the RPM playbook — how they sold 35,000 paddles without enough covers, why dropping the Q2 and V2 simultaneously was a calculated bet, and where he thinks paddle technology is headed.

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Alix Truong is the number one Vietnamese pickleball player in the world and currently ranked eighth on the PPA Tour. She's one of the sport's most compelling rising voices — a player who came up through every level of the game and is now helping grow pickleball across an entire continent.

In this episode, Alix sits down with Roscoe and Jared to talk about her journey from a hyper-competitive Vietnamese-American household in Northern Virginia to the PPA Tour. They get into what it's like being a trailblazer for Asian representation in pickleball, the realities of grinding for points without a consistent partner, and why she sees herself playing well into her senior pro years.

Alix breaks down what it was actually like going to Vietnam for the first time — working 13-hour days with no time to explore — and how returning on her own terms completely changed her relationship with her heritage. She describes being treated like a princess at tournaments, playing in front of a world-record crowd of 7,900 people in Đà Nẵng, and why she believes the Asian pickleball scene will eventually surpass the US in sheer scale.

Alix also opens up about the burnout she hit during MLP last season, getting traded down to Challenger right after one of her best runs with Eric Johnson, and the heartbreak of losing her committed partner Lane to hip surgery just as they'd committed to building something real together. She's candid about what it means to be the only top-10 player without a consistent doubles partner — and what it's going to take to break through.

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Timestamps:

1:04 — Introducing Alix Truong

2:46 — Growing Up Vietnamese-American in DC

5:36 — How She Found Pickleball Through Her Parents' Friend Group

10:18 — First Big Tournaments and the Simone Foundation

11:30 — Coming Up With Anna Leigh, Hayden, and Gabe

13:22 — When Pickleball Stopped Being a Hobby

16:23 — The Hard Conversation With Her Parents About Dropping Out

18:17 — Building Her Brand From Day One

20:09 — Going to Vietnam for the First Time

21:17 — Being a Star in Asia and the 7,900-Person World Record Crowd

23:46 — Sponsor Conversations and the Vietnamese Market Opportunity

27:15 — How Asian Conditions Compare to the US

30:19 — Playing With Her Brother LJ and the Sibling Dynamic

34:05 — Her Ceiling and Competing in Anna Leigh's Era

35:32 — Burnout, Getting Traded Down in MLP, and the Mental Toll

40:42 — Losing Partner Lane to Hip Surgery Mid-Season

43:00 — The Next Generation of Junior Players

46:31 — The Future of Asian Pickleball in 5 Years

51:44 — Learning Vietnamese and Falling in Love With the Culture

54:59 — What Makes Anna Leigh Waters So Hard to Beat

58:41 — 2026 Pickleball Predictions

1:01:05 — The Olympics, Vietnamese Citizenship, and What's Next

Connor Hance and Drew Baird are the founders of Enhance Pickleball — the most-followed pickleball content creators, with more YouTube subscribers and Instagram followers than anyone else in the sport.

In this episode, Connor and Drew sit down with Roscoe and Jared to tell the full story of how Enhance Pickleball was built — from a bootstrapped Amazon side project to a paddle and content brand that's changed how the sport is marketed and taught.

Connor and Drew break down the business decisions that defined Enhance — what made the Dink Master their first real hit, why they resisted paddles for years before finally breaking through with the Duo, and how their content engine became the ultimate unfair advantage for selling products without outside funding or paid ads.

They also get into the hard stuff: a $65,000 shipping disaster that nearly ended the company early, the challenge of being taken seriously as a paddle brand, and what it actually takes to build something real in pickleball from scratch.

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Timestamps:

1:06 — Introducing Connor & Drew from Enhance Pickleball

1:28 — How the brand works: Connor on camera, Drew behind the scenes

2:02 — Drew was originally supposed to be the on-camera talent

3:22 — How Connor & Roscoe go way back (played each other at age 9)

5:45 — How Enhance started: Amazon side hustle in early 2022

7:21 — The Dink Master origin story

9:09 — Bootstrapped from scratch: no funding, just tennis lesson money

10:25 — When the content started to take off

13:30 — Connor's backstory: growing up at South Bay Tennis Center

14:40 — Getting homeschooled to chase tennis

15:23 — The moment Connor decided he'd never go pro — and pivoted to business

17:46 — Drew's backstory: North Carolina, IMG Academy, #12 in the world juniors

20:22 — How Drew's hip injury led to him joining the business

22:46 — How their Instagram virality actually works

27:01 — Transitioning from accessories to paddles — and why it was hard

31:37 — Should they have started with paddles from day one?

33:15 — Getting advice vs. going with your gut

34:02 — The $65,000 FedEx shipping disaster

36:08 — How tariffs hit the business

38:17 — Best content advice for pickleball creators

43:49 — Breaking down the new Enhance Turbo paddle

46:10 — The time Amazon delivered a Viking sword to a customer

47:27 — What's next for Enhance Pickleball

49:48 — The biggest pivotal moments building the company

50:50 — Best business advice for anyone starting a pickleball brand today

Vivienne David is one of the most beloved players pickleball has ever had — a true fan favorite, a bright light on tour, and a former world No. 2 in mixed doubles who just announced she’s stepping away from pro pickleball.

In this episode, Vivienne sits down with Roscoe and Jared to tell the real story behind her retirement — what tour life actually feels like when you’ve been grinding for years, why she’s at peace with the decision, and why she’s still playing more pickleball than she expected now that she’s free from constant travel and pressure.

Vivienne opens up about her legendary partnership with Thomas Wilson — why it worked so well, why it felt effortless, and how losing that “partner in crime” changed everything for her mentally. She talks about Thomas’ health scare, how it shifted her perspective, and why it made her realize what mattered most beyond wins, rankings, and contracts.

Vivienne shares her full backstory — growing up 1 of 7, being homeschooled, burning out from tennis young, working in her family’s tennis/pickle shop in Florida, and accidentally getting hooked after getting “whooped” by older players on demo day. She also breaks down what she wants next: faith, community, family, potentially coaching or commentating… and yes, the one scenario where she’d consider coming back to play tournaments again.

Delivered by @DoorDash ! 🚘

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1:05 — How retirement feels: freedom, peace, still playing locally

3:07 — Vivienne & Thomas Wilson: the partnership everyone loved

5:01 — Why fans loved them

7:30 — Vivienne’s backstory

8:43 — Working at the family tennis/pickle shop

10:17 — Abby David + early pickle roots

11:58 — First time playing pickle

12:50 — 2019 breakthrough

14:08 — Turning pro: sponsors, early tour era, finding her lane in doubles

15:36 — Entering PPA era

16:24 — First MLP at Dreamland

22:30 — Wanting to beat Anna Leigh

24:12 — Partnership chemistry: why Vivienne + Thomas worked

24:47 — How Vivienne brings out a partner’s best

26:01 — Biggest tour moment

27:05 — Thomas’ health scare

29:01 — Why she retired: tour grind, body, family, missing life at home

30:55 — Would she come back if Thomas returned?

31:33 — New goals

33:31 — Best player she faced: why Anna Leigh under pressure is different

35:00 — Favorite shot + elite defense tips for amateurs

37:02 — What’s next in pickleball

Hunter Johnson is the world #1 singles pickleball player — the top spot in the fastest-growing sport on the planet, and a title that comes with way more pressure than people realize.

In this episode, Hunter sits down with Roscoe and Jared to talk about what it actually feels like to be #1 in the world — the confidence it takes to get there, the doubts that creep in once you finally arrive, and the psychological weight of knowing every match is someone else’s Super Bowl. He breaks down the “now what?” moment after reaching the pinnacle, how he deals with the target on his back, and why he’s still more hungry than ever to keep the spot.

Hunter explains why singles is the future of the sport — and why he believes it’s the format that will make pickleball go mainstream. They talk the Lifetime ball, how singles strategy has changed, why baseline pressure is becoming more valuable, and how the separation between pros and everyone else is getting bigger fast. Plus: the biggest threats to the #1 ranking, how he thinks about the field (Fed, Haworth, Connor, Garnett, and more), and the small tactical adjustments that actually decide matches at the top.

Hunter opens up about the mental side of competing — negative self-talk, self-sabotage, pressure, perspective, faith, and what kind of champion he wants to be on and off the court. They also revisit the Lakeland match, momentum (real or not), what it taught him, and how he’s approaching 2026 with a better mindset and a clearer purpose.

Delivered by @DoorDash ! 🚘

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2:29 — The pressure of #1: psychology, emotions, staying hungry

2:59 — Hunter vs Yates (Palm Springs match)

5:28 — Pickleball time moves different (tour life perspective)

8:13 — Gratitude + why being a pro makes time feel “slow”

9:18 — Lakeland controversy + the post moment

11:00 — The real issue: self-talk, mindset, and being watched as #1

12:09 — “Now what?” after reaching the pinnacle + staying there

13:35 — Self-awareness, faith, perspective, and owning your behavior

16:35 — The platform of #1: being a role model for juniors

19:15 — Target on his back + using pressure as fuel

20:18 — Momentum: real vs mental construct

23:18 — Who threatens the #1 spot?

28:59 — Hot take: singles will make pickleball mainstream

30:24 — Why singles pops on TV

32:07 — Hot take: Ben & Anna Leigh should split and become rivals

35:49 — Ball talk: Lifetime vs Franklin

38:15 — Recovery: Hunter’s full routine

41:04 — 120-second backstory

43:40 — “Civil war draft”: 3 pros you’re taking to survive

45:57 — Hunter vs Anna Leigh practice story

47:46 — How far could Anna Leigh go in men’s singles?

48:44 — The future

Andre Agassi is one of the most iconic athletes of all time — an 8-time Grand Slam champion, Olympic gold medalist, and a legend changed tennis forever.

In this episode, Andre sits down with Roscoe and Jared to explain why he’s gone all-in on pickleball — not as a gimmick, not as a cameo, but because the sport genuinely hooked him. He breaks down what tennis players don’t understand yet: pickleball isn’t just “easy” — it’s insanely nuanced, mentally exhausting, and filled with tiny variables that change everything in real time. He even explains why two hours of tennis leaves him energized… but two hours of pickleball leaves him so mentally cooked he can’t even make it to the shower.

Andre dives deep into his game and what he’s learning — what translates from tennis, what absolutely doesn’t, why the rhythm and “blood pressure” of pickleball is harder to manage, and why he’s become a right-side player focused on forehand dinks, two-handed counters, and deception. He also answers the big questions: tennis vs pickleball difficulty, what he would change about the sport (including a wild idea to widen the net posts), why pickleball struggles on TV with camera angles, how the Lifetime ball is changing singles, and why paddle “grab/spin” might matter more than pure power.

Andre tells the story of playing the US Open with Anna Leigh Waters — including the one thought he couldn’t shake: “Don’t be the first person to lose with Anna Leigh.” He shares how a back injury nearly derailed the run, how fierce Anna Leigh is as a competitor, and why pickleball has genuinely changed his life — physically, mentally, and socially — even in his mid-50s.

Delivered by @DoorDash ! 🚘

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1:25 — Tennis vs pickle “animosity” + Andre’s take

2:35 — The real reason he fell in love with pickleball

4:28 — Small margins + why pickle is tricky for TV

6:47 — Andre’s game: what translates from tennis + what he’s working on

9:39 — Pickleball Slam prep: when he actually got committed

11:30 — Roscoe’s Pickleball Slam story + why Andre matters to the sport

12:59 — Tennis/pickle/padel: do they grow together or cannibalize?

15:38 — Andre’s honesty: “Tennis is the Everest of racket sports”

17:07 — Crazy poker story

18:57 — US Open with Anna Leigh Waters

22:06 — How Agassi x Joola partnership happened

26:24 — Gambling in pickleball

29:39 — Andre’s dinner speech to Joola pros

31:23 — What pro would Andre play with?

33:36 — What would he change in pickleball?

40:08 — Singles evolution + the Lifetime ball changing

44:50 — What’s harder: tennis or pickleball?

47:01 — Carlos Alcaraz on a pickle court

52:53 — Pickleball Olympics path: college + scholarships

54:13 — Legacy + why he wants to help grow the game

55:38 — Has pickleball changed his life?

#pickleballers #andreagassi #pickleball #ppa #mlp

Leigh Waters is the mom and coach of Anna Leigh Waters — the most dominant pickleball player of all time — and the person who’s been in the room for every major moment that turned Anna Leigh into the face of the sport.

In this episode, Leigh sits down with Roscoe and Jared to tell the full story behind pickleball’s biggest moves: Anna Leigh signing with Nike, switching from Paddletek to Franklin, and what those months were really like behind the scenes. She breaks down the stress of negotiations, the pressure of making a once-in-a-career decision at 19, and how she kept Anna Leigh grounded while the internet and the entire sport watched every step.

Then we go deeper.

Leigh explains what it’s actually like wearing every hat at once — mom, best friend, coach, and protector — while raising someone whose “normal” is winning everything. They talk perfectionism, motivation when you’re already the best, how Anna Leigh stays obsessed with getting better, and why Leigh constantly reminds her: this level of dominance isn’t normal, and losing doesn’t mean the sky is falling.

And it’s not just pickleball strategy.

We get into the reality of Anna Leigh’s growing celebrity — security at tournaments, massive autograph lines, online hate that shows up in Leigh’s DMs, and the full team that’s now been built around Anna Leigh (social, PR, equipment, travel) to protect her peace while she keeps pushing the sport forward. Plus: women’s doubles predictions for 2026, who could eventually threaten the throne, and what pickleball still needs to do to reach the Olympics.

Delivered by @DoorDash ! 🚘

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2:36 – Nike + Franklin: the stressful months leading up to both deals

4:43 – “Mom, coach, best friend”: what Leigh’s role really looks like

6:23 – “This isn’t normal”: how Leigh keeps Anna Leigh grounded

7:38 – Why the Nike/Franklin moves actually energized Anna Leigh

8:20 – What Nike HQ was like (all-day meetings, gifts, massive photo wall)

10:46 – What Nike could unlock next (events, access, collabs, Caitlin Clark)

12:24 – Ryan Harwood’s impact + doing deals the right way (no bidding wars)

13:42 – Pickleball Power 50 + Leigh’s real influence in the sport

14:34 – “Did you give up your dreams?”

16:39 – Coaching other players vs coaching your daughter

18:51 – Leigh playing again

22:33 – How Anna Leigh stays motivated when she’s already the best

24:05 – The perfectionism and obsession that drives Anna Leigh

26:13 – Who could threaten Anna Leigh’s reign (Caitlin Christian + wildcards)

29:51 – Women’s doubles landscape + who can challenge Anna Leigh/AB

35:36 – Being the mom of the GOAT

36:59 – Missing “normal life” (prom, friends, growing up in the spotlight)

41:21 – Fame is real now: security, fan lines, and managing the hate

44:43 – “Psycho mom” comments + the truth about money and the team

45:47 – The full team: PT, RV driver, publicist, and more

49:15 – Pickleball in the Olympics

#LeighWaters #PPA #MLP #AnnaLeighWaters #Pickleball #Pickeballers