99% Pickleball is a weekly podcast for the people driving the sport forward: everyday players.
Hosted by pro pickleball player Mari Humberg and content creator Nikki Maldonado, the show covers the conversations shaping pickleball right now, from pro tour headlines and industry drama to community stories, trends, gear, and the personalities building the sport from every angle.
Each episode blends current events, honest opinions, and interviews with players, creators, founders, insiders, and voices across the pickleball world.
Whether you’re deep in the sport or just trying to keep up with what everyone’s talking about at open play, 99% Pickleball is built for the sport’s 99%.
Tito Machado: What Your DUPR Is Really Telling You
If you play pickleball, there’s a good chance you’ve checked your DUPR after a match and either celebrated, questioned the algorithm, or wondered how the heck your rating just went down after a win. For the Season 1 finale of 99% Pickleball, Mari and Nikki sit down with DUPR CEO Tito Machado to talk about what your rating is actually supposed to tell you and why players may be putting way too much weight on the number. Tito explains why DUPR was built as a way to help players find better, mor...
13 Aug 2026
Kyle Koszuta: The Mind Behind That Pickleball Guy
What separates a good pickleball player from someone who sees the game completely differently? This week on 99% Pickleball, Mari Humberg and Nikki Maldonado are joined by Kyle Koszuta, professional pickleball player and the creator behind That Pickleball Guy and That Pickleball School. Kyle shares how four years of college basketball shaped the way he sees a pickleball court, from anticipating what's coming next to recognizing patterns and thinking in sequences instead of individual shots. Bu...
6 Aug 2026
Building a Career in Pickleball
What does working full-time in pickleball really look like? This week on 99% Pickleball, Mari Humberg and Nikki Maldonado pull back the curtain on the very different careers they've built around the sport. Mari breaks down what life as a professional player requires beyond tournament weekends, from daily drilling and gym sessions to coaching, clinics, travel, sponsorships, content creation, and finding time for a life outside the sport. She also shares why she moved to Florida for pickleball ...
30 Jul 2026
Leigh Waters: Building a Champion Without Losing the Joy
What does it take to help build one of pickleball's greatest careers while making sure the game stays fun? This week on 99% Pickleball, Mari Humberg and Nikki Maldonado sit down with Leigh Waters, former professional pickleball player, coach, and mother of Anna Leigh Waters, for a conversation about the remarkable journey that put their family at the center of professional pickleball. Leigh shares how she went from collegiate tennis and a 14-year career practicing law to competing professiona...
23 Jul 2026
Ngoc Nguyen: The Strategist Shaping Pickleball in Entertainment & Philanthropy
What does it take for pickleball to become a truly mainstream sport? This week, Mari Humberg and Nikki Maldonado are joined by entertainment publicist, producer, and strategist Ngoc Nguyen, whose work spans Hollywood, philanthropy, and the Global Pickleball Federation. Together, they discuss how media, celebrity involvement, grassroots community, and international growth are shaping the future of the sport. Ngoc also shares a behind-the-scenes look at The Dink, the new pickleball comedy premi...
16 Jul 2026
Sydney Steinaker: Reimagining the Pickleball Experience
What if pickleball could be more than just open play and tournaments? This week, Mari Humberg and Nikki Maldonado are joined by Sydney Steinaker, founder of Bassline Sports, to discuss how she's blending music, entertainment, and community to create an entirely new kind of pickleball experience. Sydney shares her journey from law to social media to event production, the story behind the first pickleball rave, and why she's focused on creating spaces where beginners, experienced players, and e...
9 Jul 2026
Darrin Klinger: Raising a Champion Without Losing Perspective
What does it take to raise one of the top young players in professional pickleball? This week, Mari Humberg and Nikki Maldonado are joined by Darrin Klinger, coach, mentor, and father of professional pickleball player CJ Klinger, for one of the most thoughtful conversations we've had on 99% Pickleball. Darrin shares his philosophy on parenting, coaching, and building an environment where competition, character, and joy can all coexist. The conversation explores everything from CJ's journey th...
2 Jul 2026
Inside Pro Pickleball Through Two Different Lenses
There's never a dull moment in professional pickleball. This week, Mari Humberg and Nikki Maldonado break down one of the craziest weekends in professional pickleball from two very different perspectives. As a recently traded MLP player, Mari shares what it's like competing inside the league, while Nikki reflects on the same weekend through the eyes of a commentator, creator, and fan. Mari also shares what it was like navigating the trade process firsthand, while Nikki and Mari discuss the st...
25 Jun 2026
Adam Behnke: Growing the Game From the Ground Up
What does it actually take to grow a sport? This week, Mari Humberg and Nikki Maldonado are joined by Adam Behnke, COO of the Brooklyn Pickleball Team, to discuss the work happening beyond the professional level to help grow pickleball in meaningful and lasting ways. The conversation covers everything from Major League Pickleball and fan engagement to junior development, minor league competition, school partnerships, and the programs helping introduce new players to the game. Adam also shares...
18 Jun 2026
Zane Navratil & Nico the Lefty: The Rise of Pickleball Content
If you've spent any time on pickleball social media, you've probably come across Zane Navratil and Nico the Lefty. In one of the funniest conversations we've had so far on 99% Pickleball, Zane and Nico join Mari Humberg and Nikki Maldonado to discuss how content creation has evolved alongside the sport, what it takes to build genuine connections with players, and why authenticity matters more than ever in a rapidly growing community. The conversation explores everything from gear review...
11 Jun 2026
Sarah Ansboury: Growing Pickleball Without Losing What Makes It Special
Sarah Ansboury has spent years helping shape pickleball both on and off the court. In this week's episode of 99% Pickleball, Sarah joins Mari Humberg and Nikki Maldonado to discuss the sport's rapid growth, her work building coaching education programs, and the opportunities and challenges that come with pickleball's expanding global reach. The conversation covers everything from international development and youth participation to sportsmanship, court culture, and the growing problem of toxi...
4 Jun 2026
How Two Completely Different Players Fell Into Pickleball
Why does pickleball feel so different now than it did a few years ago? In the first episode of 99% Pickleball, hosts Mari Humberg and Nikki Maldonado break down how they found the sport, what pulled them into it, and why they felt the pickleball world needed a different kind of conversation. From Mari's journey from Brazil to professional pickleball to Nikki's perspective as a creator deeply connected to the everyday player experience, the two talk about the culture surrounding the sport, the...
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