Draft day is here for the 16 Premier Level teams, who will participate via a dynamic bidding process.

Like last year, each team will bid on selection slots, instead of specific player. Once teams have earned a selection slot with the highest bid of draft points, they are free to pick anyone in the available player pool.

The draft will run until each team has filled out its six-player roster. It’s important to keep in mind that no team select its 5^th or 6^th player until all squads have four players.

For a full overview of how the free agency drafts will work, click here.

Now, let’s dive into each pick and how it will impact what is sure to be a memorable 2025 MLP season.

Pick-by-pick Coverage

Pick 1: St. Louis Shock select Kate Fahey with a winning bid of 130K draft points. 

This keeps the Shock's core from last season the same, as Fahey will rejoin Anna Bright, Hayden Patriquin, and Gabe Tardio.

Pick 2: Dallas Flash select Augie Ge, with a winning bid of 100K draft points. 

Like the Shock, Dallas chose to keep its 2024 squad together. It makes sense, of course, because they won the title last year. Ge will reunite with JW Johnson, Jorja Johnson, and Tyra Black.

Pick 3: Columbus Sliders select Lea Jansen, with a winning bid of 110K draft points.

Jansen will join Andrei Daescu, CJ Klinger, and Parris Todd on a Columbus team that has overhauled its roster in 2025.

Pick 4: DC Pickleball Team selects Riley Newman, with a winning bid of 110K draft points.

Newman will return to the team representing the nation's capital after a one-season absence. He will join Dekel Bar, Rachel Rohrabacher, and Jackie Kawamoto (who is also returning to DC after playing for the New York Hustlers in 2024).

Pick 5: Chicago Slice select James Ignatowich with winning bid of 90K draft points

Well, the Slice have their guy. Chicago had to drop its entire 2024 roster because none of its previous players were contracted with UPA, so it will be a new-look squad for the Slice in 2025. 

Pick 6: Phoenix Flames select Jack Sock, with a winning bid of 100K draft points

Sock will join a newly rebranded Phoenix squad that also features Tyson McGuffin, Meghan Dizon, and Jessie Irvine. 

Pick 7: Los Angeles Mad Drops select Quang Duong, with a winning bid of 80K draft points

Duong was a gem found on waivers last year, but he's proven to be far too good to go for free in 2025. The 19-year-old will join Hunter Johnson, Catherine Parenteau, and Jade Kawamoto in LA.

Pick 8: New Jersey 5s select Genie Bouchard, with a winning bid of 90K draft points

The 5s needed someone to play the right with Anna Leigh Waters, and it looks like that will be former Wimbledon semifinalist, Genie Bouchard. With millions of social media followers, Bouchard also brings a lot of upside for team marketing and reach, which will only help the 5s cultivate what is already one of the best fanbases in MLP. Waters and Bouchard will compete alongside Zane Navratil and Will Howells.

Pick 9: Chicago Slice select Vivienne David, with a winning bid of 80K draft points

With this pick, Chicago becomes the first team to make its second pick in the draft. They still have four to go, but they've got a solid core of James Ignatowich and David so far.

Pick 10: Chicago Slice select Max Freeman, with a winning bid of 80K draft points

Chicago came to play--and to spend. They go back-to-back to get the rising lefty Freeman, who is good friends and former college tennis teammates with Ignatowich. The Slice will go after a left-side female to play mixed with Freeman with their fourth pick.

Pick 11: Atlanta Bouncers select Victoria DiMuzio, with a winning bid of 70K draft points

DiMuzio hasn't played a ton of PPA tournaments, but she is thought by many to be rising star in the sport. She'll be thrown into the fire right away playing Premier, but she'll have a strong partner in Vivian Glozman. Jaume Martinez Vich and Todd Fought make up the men for Atlanta.

Pick 12: Chicago Slice select Callie Smith, with a winning bid of 70K draft points

Chicago sprinted to fill out its four-player core, making four of the first 12 selections in the draft. Smith joins James Ignatowich, Vivienne David, and Freeman on the Slice and will most likely play mixed doubles with the lefty Freeman.

Pick 13: Utah Black Diamonds select Mehvish Safdar, with a winning bid of 50K draft points

Utah joins in on the action and brings Safdar on to a squad also featuring Tyler Loong, Connor Garnett, and Alix Truong. Utah was the worst team in the league in 2024; we'll see if the unproven Safdar can help turn the tide in 2025.

Pick 14: Texas Ranchers select Noe Khlif, with a winning bid of 50K draft points

Khlif will join a very strong Texas roster that also features Christian Alshon, Etta Tuionetoa, and Tina Pisnik. Khlif has made it to at least the quarterfinals in men's doubles in every PPA event he's played so far in 2025, so he is certainly a player on the rise. I expect him to thrive with the Ranchers.

Pick 15: New York Hustlers select Zane Ford, with a winning bid of 30K draft points

New York starts rebuilding its roster from scratch by going with Zane Ford. Ford has had most of his success on the singles court, but he seems to be rapidly improving in doubles, as well. He's not established in that discipline, but the Hustlers' investment in him could pay off handsomely down the line.

Pick 16: New York Hustlers select Donald Young, with a winning bid of 40K draft points

Pick 17: Miami Pickleball Club selects Mya Bui, with a winning bid of 20K draft points

Pick 18: Orlando Squeeze select Samantha Parker, with winning bid of 30K draft points

Pick 19: New York Hustlers select Helena Spiridis, with a winning bid of 20K draft points

Pick 20: Miami Pickleball Club selects Jay Devilliers, with a winning bid of 30K draft points

Pick 21: New York Hustlers select Dominique Schaefer, with a winning bid of 20K draft points

Pick 22: Carolina Pickleball Club selects Tamaryn (Tammy) Emmrich, with a winning bid of 10K draft points

Pick 23: SoCal Hard Eights select Ivan Jakovljevic, with a winning bid of 10K draft points

Pick 24: SoCal Hard Eights select Ryan Fu, with a winning bid of 10K draft points

Now that each team has four players, the minimum bid will move from 10K draft points to 1K draft points as teams fill out spots #5 and #6 on their rosters.

Pick 25: St. Louis Shock select Felicity Di Laura, with a winning bid of 10.1K draft points

The Shock outlasted the Texas Ranchers in a massive bidding war to start off the second portion of the draft.

Pick 26: Texas Ranchers select Michael Loyd, with a winning bid of 10K draft points

The Ranchers outdueled the DC Pickleball Team in a bidding war to eventually get a local Austin favorite in Loyd.

Pick 27: Texas Ranchers select Helena Jansen, with a winning bid of 10K draft points

With this pick, Texas becomes the first team to have a complete roster: Christian Alshon, Noe Khlif, Michael Loyd, Etta Tuionetoa, Tina Pisnik, Helena Jansen.

Pick 28: St. Louis Shock select Erik Lange, with a winning bid of 10K draft points

St. Louis won a bidding war against the Atlanta Bouncers to get Lange and become the second team to round out its roster: Hayden Patriquin, Gabe Tardio, Erik Lange, Anna Bright, Kate Fahey, Felicity Di Laura.

Pick 29: DC Pickleball Team selects Hannah Blatt, with a winning bid of 9.5K draft points

Pick 30: SoCal Hard Eights select Blaine Hovenier, with a winning bid of 10K draft points

Pick 31: New York Hustlers select Juan Benitez, with a winning bid of 10K draft points

Pick 32: Columbus Sliders select Roscoe Bellamy, with a winning bid of 10K draft points

Pick 33: New Jersey 5s select Christa Gecheva, with a winning bid of 10.5K draft points

Pick 34: New York Hustlers select Danna Funaro, with a winning bid of 10.5K draft points

This rounds out the Hustlers' roster: Zane Ford, Donald Young, Juan Benitez, Helena Spiridis, Dominique Schaefer, Danna Funaro.

Pick 35: Orlando Squeeze select Tom Evans, with a winning bid of 7.5K draft points

Pick 36: Orlando Squeeze select Alli Phillips, with a winning bid of 7K draft points

This rounds out Orlando's roster: Federico Staksrud, Dylan Frazier, Tom Evans, Lacy Schneemann, Samantha Parker, Alli Phillips.

Pick 37: Atlanta Bouncers select Sam Querrey, with a winning bid of 5K draft points

Pick 38: Utah Black Diamonds select Genie Erokhina, with a winning bid of 4.5K draft points

Pick 39: Miami Pickleball Club selects Yuta Funemizu, with a winning bid of 4.5K draft points

Pick 40: DC Pickleball Team selects Pat Smith, with a winning bid of 3K draft points

This rounds of DC's roster, which includes Dekel Bar, Riley Newman, Pat Smith, Rachel Rohrabacher, Jackie Kawamoto, and Hannah Blatt.

Pick 41: Phoenix Flames select Alex Walker, with a winning bid of 3.5K draft points

Pick 42: Dallas Flash select DJ Young, with a winning bid of 4K draft points

Pick 43: Atlanta Bouncers select Rachel Rettger, with a winning bid of 5K draft points

Atlanta's roster is now set with Jaume Martinez Vich, Todd Fought, Sam Querrey, Vivian Glozman, Victoria DiMuzio, and Rachel Rettger.

Pick 44: Columbus Sliders select Marcela Hones, with a winning bid of 4K draft points

Here's a look at the Sliders' now completed roster: Andrei Daescu, CJ Klinger, Roscoe Bellamy, Parris Todd, Lea Jansen, Marcela Hones.

Pick 45: Utah Black Diamonds select Yates Johnson, with a winning bid of 3.5K draft points

Utah's post-draft roster will feature Connor Garnett, Tyler Loong, Yates Johnson, Alix Truong, Mehvish Safdar, and Genie Erokhina.

Pick 46: Los Angeles Mad Drops select Thomas Wilson, with a winning bid of 4K draft points

Pick 47: New Jersey 5s select Craig Johnson, with a winning bid of 3K draft points

This move rounds out New Jersey's roster: Anna Leigh Waters, Genie Bouchard, Christa Gecheva, Zane Navratil, Will Howells, and Craig Johnson.

Pick 48: Phoenix Flames select Pesa Teoni, with a winning bid of 3K draft points

This completes the Flames' roster, which features Jack Sock, Tyson McGuffin, Pesa Teoni, Meghan Dizon, Jessie Irvine, and Alex Walker.

Pick 49: Los Angeles Mad Drops select Angie Walker, with a winning bid of 2K draft points

Here is the full Mad Drops roster: Quang Duong, Hunter Johnson, Thomas Wilson, Catherine Parenteau, Jade Kawamoto, and Angie Walker.

Pick 50: Miami Pickleball Club selects Ava Ignatowich, with a winning bid of 2K draft points

This completes Miami's draft with the following players: Eric Oncins, Jay Devilliers, Yuta Funemizu, Milan Rane, Mya Bui, and Ava Ignatowich.

Pick 51: Chicago Slice select Pierina Imparato, with a winning bid of 1.5K draft points

Pick 52: Carolina Pickleball Club selects Liz Truluck, with a winning bid of 1K draft points

Pick 53: Dallas Flash select Tatiana Ruhl, with a winning bid of 1K draft points

This rounds out Dallas' roster: JW Johnson, Augie Ge, DJ Young, Jorja Johnson, Tyra Black, and Tatiana Ruhl.

Pick 54: Carolina Pickleball Club select Brandon French, with a winning bid of 1K draft points

Here is a final look at Carolina's post-draft roster: Ben Johns, Collin Johns, Brandon French, Kaitlyn Christian, Tammy Emmrich, and Liz Truluck.

Pick 55: SoCal Hard Eights select Lauren Hidalgo-Smith, with a winning bid of 1K draft points

This move rounds out the Hard Eights' roster, which features Ivan Jakovljevic, Ryan Fu, Blaine Hovenier, Irina Tereschenko, Judit Castillo, and Lauren Hidalgo-Smith. 

Pick 56: Chicago Slice select Carlos Di Laura, with a winning bid of 1K draft points

The Slice will leave the draft with a roster of James Ignatowich, Max Freeman, Carlos Di Laura, Vivienne David, Callie Smith, and Pierina Imparato.

 

56 picks later, and we're all finished with the 2025 MLP Premier Level Free Agency Draft. The Challenger Level Free Agency Draft will take place on Mar. 3 at 12pm EST.