Ranking MLP Premier Level jerseys
DALLAS, TX – As MLP Salt Lake City begins, I thought it would be fun to focus on what players are wearing for their respective Premier squads this season.
After all, I'm the "unofficial" fashion correspondent for pickleball.com, right?
I love that MLP has team jerseys. It creates cohesion and visual unity on the court, and gives fans a clear way to represent their favorite clubs and athletes.
Some teams absolutely knocked it out of the park uniform-wise. Others fell short.
Here's a look at the 2024 MLP Premier Level jersey rankings:
1. Dallas Flash
Current Players: Hurricane Tyra Black, Jorja Johnson, Augie Ge, JW Johnson
Well done, Dallas. Light blue is definitely your color. Between the memorable logo on the front and the last names on the back, everything works. And I really love when the players match shorts or skirts with their jerseys for a sharp monochromatic look.
And bonus points to Jorja, who has little lightning bolts on her skirts. That’s a win!
2. Utah Black Diamonds
Current Players: Callie Smith, Alix Truong, Connor Garnett, Tyler Loong
Next up, we have a sleek all-black look from Utah, which is strong and powerful. And it’s easy because all the players can just wear black bottoms, shoes, and accessories, and they look effortlessly cool.
I also like that they stick with their color, no other crazy colors or too many variations thrown into the mix. It’s reliable and clean.
3. Los Angeles Mad Drops
Current Players: Catherine Parenteau, Jade Kawamoto, Thomas Wilson, Hunter Johnson
This team experiments with color, and I don’t mind it because they’ve got a great pallet to choose from. Bright blue, navy, and green. And the jerseys themselves are nice because they’ve got the team logo on the front, last names on the back, and they aren't overly crowded with sponsor stickers.
4. Texas Ranchers
Current Players: Etta Wright, Tina Pisnik, Christian Alshon, Quang Duong
I want everything this team puts out because they never disappoint. Their jerseys have a navy and white color scheme with minimal logos and no distracting colors. I definitely prefer the all-navy or all-white ensembles, but this team just looks clean when they step out in these fits.
5. Orlando Squeeze
Current Players: Vivienne David, Parris Todd, Federico Staksrud, Tyson McGuffin
While orange isn’t everyone’s color, I love it for a team. Orlando is the only squad unafraid to be bold in that department. And you know what? I’m giving them props for that. If you’re tuning into PickleballTV and see players wearing orange, you know exactly which team they belong to.
The Squeeze is completely original, and team recognition is key.
6. New York Hustlers
Current Players: Jackie Kawamoto, Lea Jansen, CJ Klinger, Jack Sock
This jersey has really embraced minimalism, and I can’t fault the Hustlers for that. There’s always one team that just keeps it simple, and that’s definitely New York. Opting for all-black and white jerseys with minimal logos, stickers, and other embellishments is perfect.
7. St. Louis Shock
Current Players: Anna Bright, Kate Fahey, Hayden Patriquin, Gabe Tardio
I’m a little indifferent about these. On one hand, I like that everything is subtle, but I kind of wish there was just a bit more pizzaz. Also, why are there so many white and blue color combos in MLP Premier? We need to add more colors and spread them around.
8. Arizona Drive
Current Players: Lacy Schneemann, Kaitlyn Christian, AJ Koller, Dylan Frazier
I’m a little indifferent about these, so they fall in the middle. They have white and black options that are easy to coordinate with the rest of your outfit, which is a plus. But, so many of these teams settle for an all-white or all-black fit, which is fine. I wish some were a little bit more experimental with colors, so that when people watch MLP, they can easily spot their favorite team’s jerseys.
9. New Jersey Fives
Current Players: Anna Leigh Waters, Mari Humberg, Zane Navratil, Will Howells
Okay, I was a little harsh on their merch, but I think their jerseys are pretty good. My favorite is definitely the all-white look. The issue is that they share color schemes with the Drive. Perhaps one of these teams should experiment with another color to help them stand out and differentiate themselves on the court.
10. Columbus Sliders
Current Players: Andrea Koop, Meghan Dizon, Jay Devilliers, Riley Newman
I’m torn because I praised other teams for having a monochromatic look, but all-red? it’s a little too bright on the court. But then again, at least they’re going for it and being bold with their color choices.
Why red, though? Their colors are white, orange, and blue. The blue editions of the jerseys are decent (though also suffer a bit of the same issue with looking like other teams), but red? Where did that come from?
11. Carolina Pickleball Club
Current Players: Brooke Buckner, Jessie Irvine, Collin Johns, Ben Johns
I'm so biased, but I’ve never liked heather gray. And it’s just the worst color in my opinion, especially when it comes to exercise. If you’re going to sweat, heather gray is the worst color to show everything. However, the white and baby blue combo is much stronger.
But, the jerseys aren’t too cluttered and they have the player’s last names. It’s just the heather gray.
12. D.C. Pickleball Team
Current Players: Vivian Glozman, Rachel Rohrabacher, James Ignatowich, Dekel Bar
I really enjoyed the merch from this team. But, their jerseys? Not a fan. Their team logo is just too small. It looks like they’re playing for a new team called AARP. I really don’t want pickleball jerseys to look like soccer jerseys covered in sposor images and logos. This feels like a scary step in that direction.
Which jerseys are your favorites and least favorites? Let us know on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).
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