Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the world with an estimated number of 8.9 million players in the US according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA). The fun game also now attracting some celebrities who love to play pickleball. These pickleball celebrities affect the game’s popularity rapidly at big events.
These individuals also inspire people to play pickleball. Celebrities that play pickleball instead of Tennis or any other sport for several reasons including, easy to pick, community involvement, and less exercise as compared to other racket sports.
Here we have compiled a list of famous pickleball celebrities who play pickleball whether they are on a movie set, at home, or on the court.
1. Bill Gates
The Microsoft co-founder has stated that he has been playing pickleball for 50 years. He said in an interview “I love both sports, so it is funny to watch the fight over the court space and which one’s better,” he said of the competition between tennis and pickleball.” Bill Gates seen playing pickleball many times with his ex-wife Melinda Gates.
2. Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio also reported among the fans of pickleball sport. There are rumors about famous actors who refuse to do any film shooting without playing their morning pickleball rounds. He was also spotted participating in a charity pickleball celebrity tournament to raise funds for UNICEF.
3. George Clooney
George Clooney and wife also love playing pickleball. He also built a pickleball court in the backyard of their home. George claims that his wife is a better player than him. He is also seen participating in celebrity pickleball matches to raise funds for humanitarian events.
4. The Kardashians
The Kardashians family including Khloe, Kim, and Kourtney also pickleball lovers. Kim Kardashian is also seen playing pickleball with Khloe Another member of the Kardashian family Kylie Jenner also has a pickleball court in her home.
5. Selena Gomez
Famous singer and actress Selena Gomez has also shown interest in the game of pickleball. Selena has also invested in Selkirk Sport which is famous for producing high-quality pickleball paddles for sport. His interest and investment in pickleball also increases the popularity of the sport among musicians and showbiz.
6. Ellen DeGeneres
The famous TV talk show host Ellen DeGeneres has also admitted her passion for pickleball. Ellen also plays pickleball with guests invited to her show. She also has a pickleball court at her home. She also gave some pickleball paddles to lucky viewers. Certainly, Ellen is responsible for many new players joining pickleball in recent years.
7. Michael Phelps & Larry Fitzgerald
Michael Phelps, an American former Olympic swimmer, and Former NFL receiver Larry Fitzgerald also loves playing pickleball. They also promote the game to the world. They enjoy the game as an alternative sport to swimming and the NFL.
8. Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish is known for her music career as a singer and songwriter and now has joined the fun sport. She has been recently seen playing pickleball on the court with her friends at a park in Los Angeles. She has posted a video on her social media account.
9. Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston is an American actress with several awards on her credit including Primetime Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild awards. She also admits that she plays pickleball as it is a great fun and workout activity to stay fit and healthy.
10. Jenna Bush Hager
Jenna Bush Hager is an American co-host of Today Show and daughter of former U.S. President George W. Bush. She has expressed her love for pickleball along with her entire family. She said in an interview, that she loves playing pickleball, especially on vacations.
11. Serena Williams
Serena Williams is an American tennis player who also loves playing pickleball with her friends. She said in an interview that she is very happy about pickleball’s rising popularity. She added, “It could be a second career of mine”. She sees pickleball as a fun alternative to tennis.
12. Doug Ellin
Doug Ellin is another addicted pickleball player. He also appeared in ABC’s “Shark Tank” launching his invention Pick-A-Paddle, which is a paddle pouch. Ellin has also arranged some pickleball tournaments in his hometown of Orlando, Florida. Ellin is one of those celebrities in pickleball who brought the game to the limelight.
13. Justin Bieber
Justine Bieber, a well-known pop star, also enjoys playing pickleball. He spotted various pickleball courts across Los Angeles playing the game. He also claimed that pickleball is one of the reasons for his fitness.
14. Stephen Colbert
The host of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” is also a fan of pickleball sport. He also partnered with Funny or Die & CBS Studios to produce a show called Pickled. He also appeared in many charity events for fundraising.
15. Jillian Michaels
Jillian Michaels is a fitness trainer and author who is known for his show “The Biggest Loser”. He was spotted playing pickleball with other celebrities Chris Pratt and Amanda Peet. Michaels is staying fit with the help of competitive and active pickleball sport.
16. Matthew Perry & Amanda Peet
The famous actors Matthew Perry and Amanda Peet are also big fans of pickleball. Amanda once went to a television show with her arm in a harness and upon asking said “tennis” elbow by playing “pickleball.” While Matthew plays pickleball with his friends. He also has a pickleball coach to train him. He was spotted at regular pickleball matches in Los Angeles.
17. Gary Vaynerchuk
Gary Vaynerchuk is a social media influencer and author and also a huge fan of pickleball. He is one of those celebrities investing in pickleball saying that it is a future sport. He has also hosted an annual pickleball tournament called “Gary Vee Pickleball Tournament.”
18. Giuliana & Bill Rancic
Giuliana and Bill are pickleball celebrity couples that won the first season of “The Apprentice”. Both couples seen many times playing pickleball along with their son Duke. They said in an interview “Pickleball is quickly becoming our favorite family sport!”.
19. Andy Roddick
The former professional tennis player Andy Roddick also join the craze of pickleball. He was spotted at many pickleball celebrity events and exhibitions and also has recommended some good paddles for the play.
20. Andre Agassi
Andre Agassi is a former American tennis player spotted at different pickleball courts playing with his friends. He also joined the company’s ownership group of Komodo Pickleball, a leading company for manufacturing pickleball equipment. He and Steffi Graf also won Pickleball Slam 2 by defeating John McEnroe and Maria Sharapova.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Have Celebrities Taken Up Pickleball?
Pickleball has drawn the attention of numerous celebrities, enticed by its social impact, increasing popularity, simplicity in learning, health advantages, and gentle gameplay. These factors converge to make pickleball a delightful hobby for celebrities, offering an avenue to maintain fun and wellness. Within Hollywood circles, many stars embrace it not only for its fitness benefits but also as a means to promote community engagement.
Conclusion
Pickleball is now attracting every person from social media influencers to athletes who enjoy playing pickleball. It’s now a combination of fun, emotions, competition and health. Due to ease of learning, health benefits, low impact, and engagement, everyone gets addicted to pickleball easily. Due to celebrity engagement, the pickleball popularity will increase in the future.
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