LA Mad Drops has become the center of attention in Major League Pickleball (MLP) for the 2025 season after reaching an agreement with the Carolina Hogs to acquire Ben Johns. This move comes after the team lost Quang Duong, their key doubles player.

Ben Johns (white) is considered a living legend in pickleball, holding the record for the longest winning streak (108 matches) and the most PPA Tour titles (80).

Johns arrives at LA Mad Drops as part of a complex, cash-involved trade between three MLP teams. Carolina Hogs previously spent 840,000 draft points and 420,000 USD in retention fees to secure the player considered the greatest of all time in pickleball.

Despite not leading Carolina Hogs to the championship last year, Johns remains a name synonymous with success in the MLP format. The 26-year-old has won four championships: with BLQK Bears in 2021, twice with Seattle Pioneers, and once with Chicago Slice in 2023.

Johns is currently the world's number one doubles player and number six in singles, according to this week's PPA Tour rankings. The US PPA Tour features 25 domestic tournaments in 2025, categorized as Slam (2,000 points for the winner), Cup (1,500 points), Open (1,000 points), and Challenger (125 points). The current top-ranked men's singles player is Argentina's Federico Staksrud.

At LA Mad Drops, Johns is expected to form a super team with Catherine Parenteau, Hunter Johnson, and Jade Kawamoto, along with substitute players Mehvish Safdar and Wesley Burrows. Parenteau was notably Quang Duong's mixed doubles partner, winning 9 of 16 matches last season.

Currently ranked sixth in this season's MLP, LA Mad Drops instantly becomes a top contender for the championship with the addition of Johns, who dominates the rankings in men's singles, men's doubles, and mixed doubles.

Meanwhile, Quang Duong, after being removed from the US professional system for a contract violation, is currently in Vietnam for pickleball events. His father, Duc Duong, stated that he has authorized lawyers to handle the matter with the US Pickleball Association (UPA).

Vy Anh