Celebrities Who Play Pickleball

Celebrities are just like us!

We’ve all seen the ads… the 2 or 3 page spread in some celebrity gossip magazines with photos of celebrities doing average human things. Jada Pinkett Smith grocery shopping, Hugh Jackman getting a haircut, Jennifer Aniston picking up after her dog (although I assume someone else does that for her).  Something ELSE celebrities do? Play a good old fashioned game of pickleball.

Former NBA player Jason Kidd traded in a basketball for a pickleball paddle at the Celebrity Pickleball Showdown in Texas earlier this month.   After a successful basketball career spanning two decades and three teams, Kidd now finds himself coaching for the Dallas Mavericks. In his career, he achieved fame as the best point guard of all time, and it would seem that his prowess extends to the pickleball court as well. Kidd competed against fellow NBA alum and Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki who clocks in at seven feet tall. Nicknamed the German Wunderkind, Nowitzki played professional basketball in the United States and Germany and is widely considered to be one of the greatest power forwards in basketball history.  But he is handy with a pickleball paddle, too! The two seemed evenly matched, both GOATs in their own right, yet only one could be champion. In the end, the bragging rights went to Nowitzki. 

Other celebrities who enjoy a healthy game of pickleball include the late Matthew Perry. Known for his role as Chandler Bing during the eleven season run of Friends, Perry also starred in the movie 17 Again and worked on a variety of TV series such as Cougar Town, Scrubs, and The Odd Couple. Throughout his career, Perry was open about his struggles with addiction, and had many outlets to cope, including pickleball. Perry’s coach, Matt Manasse, said that playing pickleball was a tool that Perry used to aid in his recovery.

This list wouldn’t be complete without America’s most watched family: The Kardashians. Although sisters Kim, Khloe and Kourtney are famous in their own right, the Kardashian family first hit the world stage by way of their father Robert Kardashian, who represented O.J. Simpson is the famous murder trial of the 1990s. Flash forward a few decades and each of the Kardashians are successful businesswomen, philanthropists, and, of course, TV and social media personalities. If there is one thing the Kardashians keep up with, it’s pickleball. Though according to this clip, it appears that they need a refresher on the rules!

TONIGHT ON E! pic.twitter.com/RFuEymx5WX

— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) April 7, 2019

So whether they are taking the subway or taking out the trash, even celebrities enjoy a game of pickleball! Just goes to show that this beautiful sport is accessible and enjoyable for everyone, no matter your skill or income level!