Pickleball has been booming as a recreational sport, to the point where you might be almost sick of hearing about it. But while your colleague, great-uncle and dental hygienist may be talking your ear off about their pickleball exploits, perhaps you haven’t heard as much about the professional game that has been developing.

In recent news, the phrase “Major League Pickleball” was seen in the same paragraph as, amazingly, “LeBron James.”

Whoa there, Charlie. There’s a Major League Pickleball?
Yes, just like baseball (1876), soccer (1996), fishing (2011) and cricket (planned for 2023), pickleball has its own “major league.”

Back up. Remind me what pickleball is, exactly?
It’s a variant of tennis played on a smaller court with paddles and a light, perforated plastic ball that doesn’t fly as fast. It is easier to learn than tennis, and with less court space to cover at a slower speed, it is especially appealing to those who might be overwhelmed by the physical challenges of tennis. But more athletic people play it, too, including some who have turned it into a professional career.