After Quang Duong was removed from the tournament system by UPA for multiple contract violations, the world's 6th-ranked singles player could no longer continue to compete with LA Mad Drops in the Major League Pickleball (MLP) team tournament system.
Ben Johns moved to LA Mad Drop to create a "super team" in the MLP tournament (Photo: Getty).
On July 19, LA Mad Drops officially announced a blockbuster deal when they successfully recruited the greatest player of all time, Ben Johns from Carolina Hogs. This deal quickly caused a stir in the American pickleball community due to the complicated exchange and the accompanying cash.
However, LA Mad Drops' opponents in MLP are showing concern because if this team successfully recruits Ben Johns, it will create a "super team" that can beat any opponent.
“Ben Johns going to LA Mad Drop makes the entire first half of the MLP season meaningless,” New Jersey 5s captain Zane Navratil said on his personal YouTube channel. “We’ll never know exactly how much money was traded because the league doesn’t make that number public, but I’d guess it was probably upwards of $200,000 per appearance.”
This deal shouldn’t have happened given some of the shady details surrounding the MLP trade deadline move, which is a wild card. But this is the first year I’ve felt like there’s been a huge gap between the top and the bottom.”
The signing of Ben Johns (who was ranked number one in the world in men's singles, men's doubles and mixed doubles) is considered a strategic move by LA Mad Drops, who also own top players such as Catherine Parenteau (one of the best female players in MLP), Hunter Johnson and Jade Kawamoto.
“The nature of this deal is orchestrated collusion,” said Ross Chaifetz, owner and general manager of the St. Louis Shock, the team currently ranked number one in MLP. “They are throwing the league out of balance.
This deal essentially created MLP’s first super team. Think about them in the playoffs. You have a top 3 women’s doubles team in Catherine and Jade. Then you’re up against Ben Johns and Hunter Johnson, who are at least top 3 men’s doubles.
And in the play-offs, you don't just have to beat that team, you have to beat them twice.”
Zane Navratil opposes Ben Johns' move to LA Mad Drops (Photo: Getty).
Ben Johns' move to LA Mad Drops has certainly created a stir in the MLP community, from excited anticipation to heated debates about competitiveness and transparency. It's clearly a move that fans and pundits alike are closely watching ahead of the playoffs.
Ben Johns will make his debut with LA Mad Drops at MLP Dallas, an event that takes place from July 24 to July 27. He is scheduled to face New Jersey 5s at 2:30 a.m. on July 27 (Vietnam time), marking the superstar's first match with the home team LA Mad Drops.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/cac-doi-mlp-phan-doi-thuong-vu-ben-johns-thay-the-quang-duong-20250724155309502.htm
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