At just 15, Tama Shimabukuro is having the time of his life on the PPA Tour.

The Hawaii native has quickly captured the attention of the pickleball world with his uniquely inventive playing style, earning the respect of fellow players along the way.

Calling it a dream scenario would be an understatement for Shimabukuro after leaving behind a promising skateboarding career to pursue his new passion.

"It's definitely been fun traveling the world and exploring," said Shimabukuro, who signed a three-year UPA contract this past September. "Meeting a bunch of new people and making a bunch of new friends everywhere I go has been pretty great. Everyone's been pretty welcoming."

Shimabukuro’s standout play both domestically and overseas at PPA Tour Asia events is even more remarkable when you consider he had no racquet sports background or formal coaching—and he continues to chart his own course.

Confidence has never been an issue.

"It's been great playing higher-level people, just seeing all the shots they can hit and learning from them every day," explained Shimabukuro. "I'm always watching videos to see what they're doing and how I can get better."

That approach has clearly paid off, turning the youngster into a tough matchup even for the most seasoned players in singles and doubles alike.

JW Johnson learned that firsthand last month, as he was pushed to a decisive third game in the Round of 64 at the Carvana PPA Masters and forced to rally to stay alive.

"I play a very tricky style. I never played tennis or anything, so my technique is a little different," mentioned Shimabukuro. "I would say it's a mix of like a slower style and some creative stuff. It's like a decent amount of dinking, and then just a tricky speed-up to see if I can get a pop-up from my opponents."

Shimabukuro honed his methodology back home.

And the environment proved ideal for it.

"I played a lot of rec in Hawaii. I would always try whatever shots I could and just kind of mess around with pickleball in the beginning and kind of get a feel for the paddle and the ball," he said. "I was getting used to making dinks, making drops, and then eventually adding different stuff into the mix."

His mom, Tatum, has enjoyed a front-row seat to his development, traveling with Tama wherever his journey takes him. 

Her constant presence means the world to him.

"It's usually just me and my mom traveling together. She takes me to all the tournaments, so she's definitely played a big part in everything," noted Shimabukuro. "She's just a really good support system. It makes our bond even better and even closer. It's definitely something special."

Tatum is savoring every moment of watching her son compete alongside the world’s top pickleball athletes.

She knows even greater things lie ahead.

"I know he can hang, and it's just a matter of time because he's still growing and still getting his foundation. I'm excited to see him play when he comes into his body and has man strength," she said. "Right now, Tama is just going with the flow and freestyling it, and that just matches his style in skateboarding and surfing, too. It transfers because skating and surfing are all about style. That's what makes each skater and surfer different, and with pickleball, I kind of see that he's different because he doesn't come from a racquet sports background."

Tatum, meanwhile, has no plans to hire a coach for Tama.

This formula will remain in place moving ahead.

"He doesn't think he needs one at the moment. I kind of feel like if he was to get a coach, it might stifle his growth and his creativity. They may change his game, and then he might not have fun anymore because he's trying to do what the coach wants him to do rather than how his brain and body processes it," she explained. "That's what makes him unique, and I want him to be able to showcase what he can do."

Ultimately, Tama's enthusiasm for pickleball speaks for itself.

He can't get enough.

"I just love the variety of it. You can do so much on the court," concluded Shimabukuro. "You can always learn a new shot and experiment with new stuff every day. It's so much fun."