Pickleballers Season 3, Episode 1: Anna Leigh Waters tells story behind new Nike deal

The Kitchen

Team The Kitchen

Last Edited

Feb 05 2026

Category

News

Anna Leigh Waters is the most dominant pickleball player of all time — the sport’s biggest star, the standard everyone is chasing, and now the first-ever Nike signed pickleball athlete.

In this episode of Pickleballers, Anna Leigh sits down with Roscoe and Jared to tell the full story behind the two biggest moves in pickleball: signing with Nike, and leaving Paddletek after years to join Franklin. She breaks down what the public didn’t see — the pressure of rumors before anything was actually signed, how she handled the internet going crazy after the leaked practice photo, and why she ultimately chose brands based on what would grow the sport long-term.

Then we get nerdy.

Anna Leigh explains the paddle testing process, why she didn’t want a “bidding war,” how important it was to actually love the paddle, and what it felt like walking into the Masters with a brand-new setup — new paddle, new Nike kit, new expectations — and still winning. She also talks foam tech, Gen 1 vs newer paddles, why the “singles paddle vs doubles paddle” trend is coming, and what she wants to build next with Franklin (shapes, thickness and future prototypes).

And with Nike, she shares what it was like visiting Nike HQ, sitting in all-day meetings, helping them think through true pickleball-specific gear, and why this partnership feels bigger than just her — it feels like a milestone for the entire sport.

More news