In Bürk, as a Spanish pickleball brand, we closely follow the evolution of a sport that continues to grow—and, in particular, the players who are shaping its future. One of the names attracting the most attention is Tama Shimabukuro, one of the biggest rising stars in professional pickleball.
The news,
The MLP Asia Draft was held recently, and to some people’s surprise, Tama Shimabukuro was selected as the No. 1 pick. This might seem normal, except that Tama is 15 years old and has only been on the professional circuit for a year and a half.
Who is Tama Shimabukuro,
Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. From childhood, his name was associated with skateboarding. He started skateboarding around the age of six, following in his older brother’s footsteps, and soon stood out for his talent. He also surfed—two disciplines in which balance, movement, creativity, and improvisation are essential.
But in the summer of 2023, during a family trip to California related to skateboarding, something changed.
Tama and her family discovered a sport they knew practically nothing about. When they returned to Hawaii, they bought a net and some wooden paddles and started playing. There was no coach, no academy, and no career plan—they were simply discovering a new sport.
And Tama began to stand out.
He was largely self-taught. He played, experimented, and looked for new ways to hit the ball. Since he didn’t come from a tennis or other racquet sports background, he developed a very personal style of play, based on creativity and the ability to improvise.
Perhaps that is one of the keys to its history.
Tama didn’t come to pickleball through the traditional route. He came from skateboarding and surfing, bringing with him a different way of understanding movement and sports.
His mother, Tatum, has been a constant presence throughout this entire process, accompanying him to tournaments and supporting his progress. Tama has explained that her support has been essential along the way.
In just a few years, that Hawaiian boy who discovered pickleball almost by chance went from playing with his family to sharing the court with some of the best players in the world.
A story that is still just beginning.
Tama Shimabukuro. From Hawaii’s skateparks to pickleball courts around the world.
Source: https://pickleball.com/people/veterans-praise-tama-shimabukuros-breakout-run-in-atlanta
Tama Shimabukuro started playing pickleball in the summer of 2023. Just a few months later, the sport she had discovered almost by chance was beginning to become something more serious. In April 2024, at just 13 years old, she competed in her first PPA tournament in California.
His rise to prominence was rapid. In his first tournaments, he achieved outstanding results in the 5.0 categories, including a bronze medal in singles and a silver medal in singles, as well as a bronze medal in doubles. But beyond the medals, he began to attract the attention of players, coaches, and brands for his ability to compete against much more experienced opponents.
In 2025, he took his next big step: becoming a professional player. That same year, he began competing on the international PPA Tour Asia circuit, and at just 14 years old, he pulled off one of his first major upsets at the Fukuoka Open. There, he defeated the No. 3 seed, Tyler Loong—then ranked No. 38 in the PPA rankings—in two games.
But its real breakthrough came in 2026.
At the Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships, Tama, a 15-year-old seeded 22nd, reached his first-ever PPA final. He defeated, in succession, players of the caliber of Jaume Martinez Vich, Federico Staksrud, Noe Khlif, and Hunter Johnson. His performance generated enormous excitement among the crowd, who began calling him “Tama Town.”
Shortly thereafter, he won his first major international title. At the 2026 Macau Open, Tama took home two gold medals: he was crowned singles champion after defeating the No. 1 seed, Hong Kit Wong, and also won the men’s doubles title alongside Armaan Bhatia.
His progress continued throughout the Asian season, cementing his place among the circuit’s most promising young players. Currently, the PPA ranks him in the world’s Top 15—at age 15 and just three years after he started playing pickleball.
What began as a chance discovery has turned into a professional career at an extraordinary pace.
Tama Shimabukuro is no longer just a promising young player. She is part of the new generation that is shaping the future of pickleball.
The future of pickleball is also at stake today
At Bürk, we believe that stories like Tama’s represent more than just a string of victories.
They represent the evolution of a sport that combines technique, strategy, creativity, innovation, and passion.
As a Spanish pickleball brand, we closely follow these developments because top players also inspire us and help us determine the direction in which pickleball paddle technology, design, and development should move.
Bürk — Your inspiration, our innovation.
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