You may know Proton Sports as the manufacturer of top pro Andrei Daescu's paddle of choice, or for their bright, multi-colored paddles that stand in contrast to a sea of blacks, blues and whites.
Until recently, Proton was relatively quiet in the pickleball space. But the company, credited for revolutionizing softball bats with its innovative technology, has made a series of big moves as they seek to revolutionize pickleball equipment the same way they did in softball.
And it seems to be working. Owner Charles Darling indicates that the biggest challenge facing his business is the ability to make enough paddles to meet the growing demand for them.
Now they're doubling down on their success. As of this week, Darling and company announced that they'll be signing a slate of top pros to exclusive paddle deals.
Who are the new Proton pros?
Undoubtedly, Proton's most recognizable pro for the last year has been Andrei Daescu. With this announcement, he's now joined by:
Meghan Dizon
Travis Rettenmaier
Donald Young
CJ Klinger
Kaitlyn Christian
Angie and Alex Walker
Pesa Teoni
Charles Darling of Proton also confirmed their interest in signing more local players across the US, "This is only the beginning. I want the people to know we are going to sign many top local and regional players.”
Apparently, it's not just pros they're "signing." We recently learned that global music phenomenon, Steve Aoki, has adopted Proton as his unofficial paddle sponsor.
About Proton
Proton’s innovative approach to the science of paddle manufacturing has attracted the attention of high-level players and pickleball nerds alike. Known for its ability to create spin and maintain longevity, Proton’s nanotech surface is unlike anything we have seen in pickleball.
You can see top paddle reviewer John Kew review one of the recent Proton paddles and discuss some of the insane RPMs they're generating in this video series:
Upcoming Paddle Release
This player-signing announcement coincides with the release of their brand new line of paddles – something we'll be covering more in depth in the coming weeks.
Stay tuned for more Proton news.
