Anna Leigh Waters at a Crossroads

Pickleball’s Youngest Star May Be Leaving Her First Big Sponsor

November 24, 2025 — In a development that has sent ripples through the professional pickleball world, whispers are growing louder that Anna Leigh Waters — the 18-year-old phenom who has dominated women’s singles, doubles, and mixed doubles — may be departing her longtime sponsor, Paddletek. The speculation, aired on the Bad Calls pickleball podcast, suggests she is headed to a “behemoth” company, with Nike’s name surfacing in some corners.

It would mark a seismic shift in Waters’s career. She has been with Paddletek since 2018, when she was just 11. Paddletek Pickleball, LLC+2pickleballunion.com+2 Over those years, she and Paddletek have collaborated closely: from her signature Bantam TS-5 model in her early teens to her more recent ALW-C carbon-fiber line. PICKLEBALL DROP SHOP+2Paddletek Pickleball, LLC+2

The suggestion of a move — though not confirmed — comes at a moment when Waters is more than just an athlete: she’s become the face of professional pickleball. According to her agent, she is expected to earn upwards of $3 million in 2024, making her one of the sport’s highest-paid figures. Pickleball.com+1 Her marketability is undeniable: she wins, speaks well, and plays with an intensity that electrifies both fans and sponsors.

If Nike is indeed stepping into the pickleball space — as the podcast alleges — signing Waters would be a major statement. The brand’s global reach and cross-sport influence could elevate not just Waters’s profile, but pickleball’s visibility on the world stage.

For Paddletek, losing Waters would be big in more ways than one. She has been an integral part of their brand story, refining paddle design and championing the company’s technology for nearly a decade. Their 15-year anniversary this year highlighted Waters among their marquee athletes. PR Newswire+1

But Waters’s potential move also reflects a larger truth: the professional pickleball landscape is evolving fast. As the sport matures, its top talents are increasingly courted not just by niche paddle-makers, but by global brands with broader ambitions.

Still, the claims remain exactly that: rumors. No public confirmation has come from Waters, Nike, or Paddletek. On the Bad Calls podcast, the hosts were careful to label their report speculative. Yet in a world where endorsement deals are key to an athlete’s earnings — and paddle sponsors play a central role in the sport’s ecosystem — even a whisper of a change carries weight.

Why This Matters

• Brand Alignment: Waters’s partnership has always felt deeply personal. She has worked hands-on with Paddletek on paddle development, and her signature lines reflect her aggressive, spin-heavy playing style. PICKLEBALL DROP SHOP+1

• Commercial Stakes: If Nike or another major company steps in, it could redefine what “big money” looks like in pickleball endorsements — and accelerate the sport’s march into the mainstream.

• Legacy vs. Growth: For Waters, the decision may not just be about money. Staying with the company that helped elevate her brings continuity. But a move might signal she’s ready to leverage her star power on a bigger stage.

What’s Next

All eyes now are on Waters and her camp. Will she publicly refute or confirm the rumors? Will Paddletek counter with an extended or expanded deal? A shift could reshape the pickleball sponsorship landscape.

For now, the story speaks to how far the sport has come — and to how Waters, still just 18, is not just playing the game. She’s helping define it.