The All Florida Professional League is coming into into its third season and the draft is Friday, April twenty fourth.
Livestream Data: The draft might be livestreamed at 7pm EST, Friday, April twenty fourth on Open Play Sports activities Youtube Channel
This can be a preview of the draft, together with a few of the high obtainable gamers. The total draft order and guidelines could be discovered on the league’s web site.
What’s the All Florida Professional League?
The All Florida Professional League is a regional skilled pickleball league primarily based solely in Florida. The 2026 season contains 5 common season stops, a mid-season match, and a Finals.
- Cease #1 – Might 9 – Punta Gorda – PicklePlex
- Cease #2 – June 6 – Lakewood Ranch – The Pickleball Membership at Lakewood Ranch
- Cease #3 – June 27 – Miami – Epic Athletic Membership
- Mid-Season Event – July 11 – Fort Myers – DNA Pickleball
- Cease #4 – August 15 – Jacksonville – The Hub Pickleball Jax
- Cease 5 – September 5 – Lakeland – Lone Palm Pickleball Membership
- Finals – September 26 – Orlando – Central Wings Pickleball
There are eight groups concerned within the All Florida Professional League:
- Sarasota Manatees
- St Pete Icebergs
- Punta Gorda Tide
- O-City Bangers
- Jacksonville Ballers
- GNV Chomp
- Miami Blaze
- Lakeland Palms
Previous Gamers
In its third season, the All Florida Professional League (AFPL) has already produced some high execs. In truth, eight gamers have performed within the AFPL and gone on to signal unique Skilled Pickleball Affiliation (PPA) Tour contracts:
- George Rangelov
- Valerie Simon
- Chris Crouch – drafted to the Florida Smash in Main League Pickleball this 12 months
- Ashley Griffith
- Jade Rau
- Cailyn Campbell – drafted to the SoCal Arduous Eights in Main League Pickleball this 12 months
- Brooke Caruso
- Lauren Hidalgo Smith
Florida is thought for being one of many high 5 hotbeds for pickleball on the earth, and a few would argue it’s the high. With all the expertise enjoying in Florida, it’s no surprise the AFPL is producing some high stage expertise that goes on to carry out on the world stage.
The 2026 AFPL Draft Order
The draft order is about:
- Sarasota Manatees
- St Pete Icebergs
- Punta Gorda Tide
- O-City Bangers
- Jacksonville Ballers
- GNV Chomp
- Miami Blaze
- Lakeland Palms
The draft consists of 4 rounds and is a snake draft. That means Rounds 1 and three will seem like the above, and Rounds 2 and 4 might be within the reverse order. Groups ARE allowed to commerce draft picks and/or gamers throughout and after the draft.
56 gamers have utilized for roster spots within the 2026 AFPL. In case you are doing the maths, sure, this implies there are going to be loads of gamers that go undrafted. Every crew has 4 gamers (2 males and a couple of ladies), for a complete of 32 obtainable roster spots. This implies 24 gamers is not going to be drafted (they may nonetheless be picked up in waivers all through the season).
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Snake Draft and Methods
Snake drafts are at all times very distinctive in pickleball. There are some tried and true methods that these groups might implement, or they could simply do away with the playbook and give you their very own technique. Listed here are a few of the methods I imagine we’ll see:
Seize a high man – If a crew (particularly on the high of the draft order) appears like there’s a man that may take over matches and be an MVP candidate, they could go for him early. In that case, I might anticipate this crew’s draft order to be MWWM.
Girls run the world – In each professional pickleball draft I’ve mocked, the ladies are important, as a result of there should not as many ladies gamers. So if a crew is trying to capitalize on some high ladies and suppose they know who they need when it comes to guys that might slip to the third and 4th spherical, I may see a number of groups use this technique, particularly towards the underside of the draft order. These groups draft will probably seem like this: WWMM.
A balanced method – For the groups in the midst of the draft order, a extra balanced method could also be so as. Perhaps they actually like a high man or a high girl, after which in spherical two, they selected somebody from the other gender. This draft would both seem like this: WMWM or MWMW.
You seen I didn’t point out a crew drafting MMWW. Inevitably, somebody will in all probability do that, I simply have by no means seen one of these draft be wildly profitable on the highest stage of pickleball.
Prime Gamers
For a listing of all 56 obtainable gamers, please click on right here.
I’m not going to checklist out all gamers, however I’ll checklist out some high candidates who I feel have an opportunity of going within the first spherical. I’m going to checklist 5 ladies and 5 males.
5 ladies to look out for (in no specific order)
Alexa Quintinella – 28 years outdated – Doubles DUPR 5.214 – Singles DUPR – 4.660
- Alexa has by no means performed in AFPL, however has made a PPA Predominant Draw earlier than, received 5 Moneyball tournaments all through the Mid-Atlantic and received a silver medal on the 2024 Pickleball World Cup.
Arielle Nealy – 25 years outdated – Doubles DUPR 4.642 – Singles DUPR – 4.527
- Arielle is newer to the game, however the former D1 tennis gamers (FAMU) made it to the 2024 Pickleball World Championships ladies’s doubles primary draw, and has performed within the APP Signature Occasion Ladies’s Doubles. Regardless of by no means enjoying within the AFPL earlier than, she is one to be careful for.
Adalynn Lund – 16 years outdated – Doubles DUPR 5.347 – Singles DUPR – 4.400
- The 16 12 months outdated has the best DUPR score of any feminine within the draft and already made PPA Tour Predominant Attracts, and just lately received the US Open 5.0 gold medals in each combined doubles and girls’s doubles. She works along with her household on the Pickleball Membership at Lakewood Ranch, the AFPL cease #2. Lund has by no means performed AFPL.
Ava Pisacrita – 21 years outdated – Doubles DUPR 4.890 – Singles DUPR – 4.586
- Pisacrita performed for the Lakeland Palms final 12 months within the AFPL, and has made a number of PPA and APP Predominant Attracts. Moreover, Pisacrita helped discovered the Ole Miss Pickleball Membership.
Ellie Skingley – 29 years outdated – Doubles DUPR 5.205 – Singles DUPR – 5.174
- Ellie has performed in each seasons of the AFPL and completed second in 2025 with the O-City Bangers. She is the Pickleball Director at Central Winds Pickleball, which is the place this 12 months’s finals might be held.
5 males to look out for (in no specific order)
Bharat Karunakaran – 28 years outdated – Doubles DUPR 5.56 – Singles DUPR – 4.332
- Bharat has received the primary two AFPL seasons and has established himself as among the finest AFPL gamers. He has made a number of Predominant Draw appearances on the PPA/APP Excursions and just lately made the Spherical of 16 on the US Open.
Kamden Bradstreet – 19 years outdated – Doubles DUPR 5.566 – Singles DUPR – 4.714
- Kamden performed AFPL season 2 for the O-City Bangers, ending second final 12 months. He made the semis of The Kitchen Open in Atlanta in 2025 and has been profitable regional moneyballs at a fast tempo.
Noah Waddell – 24 years outdated – Doubles DUPR 5.768 – Singles DUPR – 5.285
- The native Floridian is thought for 2 issues – profitable the 2017 US Open Junior Boys Doubles with Josh Elliott. Oh yeah – he’s additionally an award profitable pianist and has performed for a number of symphonies and has a level in piano efficiency. The lefty can also be actually freaking good at pickleball and has the best DUPR of any participant obtainable on this 12 months’s draft. This might be his first 12 months within the AFPL.
Jake Bower – 22 years outdated – Doubles DUPR 5.468 – Singles DUPR – 5.614
- Jake has received a collegiate nationwide championship with the College of Florida Pickleball Crew and just lately received gold on the Pickleball World Cup, representing Crew USA. He has additionally been an everyday contributor for The Dink Pickleball for some time now. This might be Jake’s first foray into AFPL, however he’s used to the crew sport surroundings.
Drew Holder – 28 years outdated – Doubles DUPR 5.265 – Singles DUPR – 5.505
- Holder has been on the Lakeland Palms every of the final two seasons, ending fourth in each years. He has been enjoying the sport for a very long time and is an excellent constant AFPL participant. He’s additionally the Assistant Professional on the Lone Palm Nation Membership. Enjoyable truth – he was additionally a kicker/punter for Southeastern College as effectively, so you understand he’s aggressive.
