By Matthew Schwartz
June 23, 2026
Gabe started playing pickleball in 2018. One year later, he turned pro.-
When Gabe Joseph was four years old, his father put a tennis racquet in his hands. The kid was a natural.
Twenty-five years later, the Southern California native is one of the best pickleball players in the world. Joseph is the Professional Pickleball Association’s 9thth-ranked singles player.
When not playing in tournaments, Joseph works at the Calabasas Pickleball Club, as the Director of Pickleball. Not a bad player to be an instructor.
Joseph has been kind enough to fulfill my request to provide you, dear rec player, with free advice on how to improve your game.
Asked about the most common errors he sees being made by the typical, 3.5 rated player, Joseph told me, “The biggest mistakes I see are a lack of focus on fundamentals and poor shot selection. Many players want to hit what I call “hero” shots before mastering the basics. Consistency, positioning, and making smart decisions often separate players who improve from those who remain stuck at the same level.
Joseph has five tips for the intermediate player:
1) Develop a strong and reliable return of serve.
2) Build a consistent and offensive third shot, whether it’s a drive or drop.
3) Improve your serve and use it as a weapon.
4) Focus on shot selection and point construction.
5). Have fun and enjoy the process of improving.
Joseph is well aware of the trend towards power pickleball. Many players, especially younger ones, bang virtually every shot. They rarely dink and have no soft game. He explained how intermediate players should handle bangers.
“The best way to defend against hard hitters is to learn how to counter aggressively when the opportunity presents itself or, for more advanced players, develop the ability to reset those balls into the kitchen,” Joseph said. “At the higher levels, simply hitting hard isn’t enough. Players who don’t develop a soft game and learn to control the pace of a rally will eventually hit a ceiling because higher-level opponents can neutralize power and force them into uncomfortable situations.”
Gabe’s quickness on the court has helped him in wins over Ben Johns and other top ranked players.
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Joseph, 29, grew up in West Hills, a suburban neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley section of Los Angeles County.
“I was a very independent and outgoing kid,” Joseph says. “Sports were a huge part of my life growing up. Whether it was tennis, paddle tennis, baseball or basketball, I always wanted to be outside competing and staying active. Looking back, those experiences helped assure the competitive mindset and work ethic I carry with me today.”
After a standout career in junior tennis, Joseph received college scholarship offers but decided to attend California State University, Northridge. CSUN did not have a men’s tennis program so Joseph focused on his studies while continuing to play on his own. He graduated with a degree in Nutrition and Dietetics.
Joseph began playing pickleball in 2018 with friends and quickly developed a passion for the sport.
“What immediately stood out to me was the amount of nuance and finesse involved, particularly in doubles because of the kitchen line,” he says. “There’s a strategic element to the game that really appealed to me. From a singles perspective, I enjoyed how many similarities there were to paddle tennis, which helped make the transition feel natural.”
Just one year after first playing pickleball, Joseph turned pro. At 5 feet, 9 inches tall and 175 pounds, his quickness stood out. He rose to national prominence on the professional pickleball circuit during the 2023 Takeya Showcase on the PPA Tour, where he captured the gold medal in singles with a headline-making victory over Federico Staksrud. He has also notched notable wins over several top-ranked players, including Ben Johns, Tyson McGuffin, Connor Garnett, JW Johnson, Christian Alshon, Jack Sock and others.
As you might imagine, Joseph is a busy guy. He plays in approximately 20 tournaments a year while holding down the full-time job at the Calabasas Pickleball Club.
“My schedule is pretty packed. When I’m not traveling for tournaments, I’m spending more than 40 hours a week at CPC overseeing programming, managing staff, and teaching lessons,” he says. “In between those responsibilities, I try to fit in as many practice sessions as possible while still maintaining a healthy work-life balance and spending quality time with my wife and family.
Gabe married Neeka in October 2025. The couple is expecting their first child, a boy, in November.
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Joseph got married in October 2025. He says he and his wife, Neeka, talk about tournaments before and during events. “But once we’re on the flight home, it’s usually back to reality and focused on what’s next. Having that balance helps keep things in perspective.
“My favorite things to do outside of pickleball are exploring new restaurants with my wife and spending time with family. I’m also perfectly happy having a lazy Sunday on the couch watching TV. If time allows, I still enjoy playing tennis and getting out on the golf course as well.”
His favorite TV shows of all time are The Sopranos and Curb Your Enthusiam. His playlists include “A lot of hip-hop and rap, but I have a deep appreciation for all genres of music, from classic rock to today’s biggest artists. My favorite artist of all time is Drake.”
Neeka is due to give birth in November to a son. Since Gabe’s father gave him a tennis racquet when he was four, perhaps Gabe will give his son a pickleball paddle when the boy is around that same age.
If the kid is anything like his father, once he gets a paddle in his hands, watch out.
Thoughts of the week, not all pickleball
· Paddle reviewers deservedly earn commissions from paddle companies when their discount codes are used by buyers. This is a full-time gig for most of the popular reviewers, their primary income source. Reviewers disclose that they receive a commission at the beginning of each review. However, they do not state the exact percentage that the paddle companies pay them. I think reviewers need to specify this number. It adds transparency. For example, The Honolulu Pickleball Company reportedly pays some influential reviewers 25%. (Honolulu’s owner did not respond to emails seeking confirmation.) Honolulu paddles generally receive not just good reviews, but rave reviews. This begs the obvious question: Does the higher commission give reviewers incentive to praise Honolulu paddles more than companies paying them the industry standard of 10% to 15%? (Hudef pays 10%.)
Chris Olson, host of the popular “Pickleball Studio,” addressed Honolulu’s high payouts in a recent podcast. I emailed Olson for more specifics and he replied, “Prior to ever reviewing a paddle for them, I told them that I wasn’t comfortable with 25% as a commission. So, it never impacted how I reviewed their paddles. All of my commissions are 15% or lower across the entire industry currently.”
Matt Khoury, the excellent reviewer who hosts the YouTube channel and website, “Matt’s Pickleball,” told me he accepts 25% commissions from Honolulu when his code or affiliate link is used. “I have never negotiated a higher commission with any brand,” Khoury said. “I signed up for affiliate programs and accepted whatever terms were offered, and that is still how I operate today. If a brand offers me a higher private rate, I tell them I want the same rate they are giving other reviewers or affiliates in the program. I also did not realize Honolulu’s rate was as high as it was until someone pointed it out to me last summer.
“As for whether Honolulu’s higher commission affects my critiques: No. I understand why that question needs to be asked, and I think it is a fair one.”
Khoury added, “I have considered adding exact commission rates by brand to [my website’s disclosure page].
Reviewer John Williams, known as John Kew, told me, “I cap commissions at 20%.” Williams referred me to a recent podcast, in which he said, “I reached out at the beginning of this year to everybody paying more than 20 percent and said, ‘Can you just lower mine to 20 percent?’ So I’ve capped my commissions at 20 percent. It just made me feel better. I want to be more transparent.”
I believe Williams, Khoury and Olson have integrity and are not influenced by higher commissions. I do not think that is the case with some other, less popular reviewers who may need the additional money. I have watched several reviewers who say every paddle is wonderful. Come on. I realize most paddles today are good, most have some redeeming features. But let’s be honest, some are just el stinko (Anybody remember the Adidas Metalbone?). I think all reviewers should just add one sentence to their disclosures, saying, “This company pays me 15 percent (or whatever the commission is) every time my discount code is used.” It’s really not a difficult issue to resolve.
Nick Bicanic, CEO of Reload Pickleball, recently did a deep dive on the topic and it is well worth reading.
· Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby announced that he plans to enter the NFL Supplemental Draft, ending the drama over whether he would be eligible to play for Tech this year. Sorsby admitted to placing at least $90,000 on more than 9,000 sports bets, including at least 40 wagers on his former Indiana University team during his redshirt freshman season in 2022. He reportedly did not bet on games in which he played. After the NCAA banned Sorsby and denied Texas Tech's appeal for reinstatement, Sorsby sued the organization. A state district judge in Lubbock, TX, granted an injunction that blocked the NCAA from enforcing the ban, ruling that a suspension would cause Sorsby irreparable harm. That really roiled the sports world, with opposing coaches blasting the ruling and saying they would refuse to play Texas Tech. Under the terms of injunction, Sorsby would have been allowed to play for Tech after serving a two-game suspension. Wow. The kid would have gotten off easy, which is not surprising. In the tradition of the good ‘ol boys southern college football network, turns out that a Texas oil billionaire and former Tech football player is the chairman of the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents. So the message to college football players is that it if you bet on games, just make sure first that a rich, influential booster has connections and you can keep playing.
· Former tennis great John McEnroe makes fun of pickleball but takes the money when he is offered to play in a celebrity pickleball match. McEnroe has said that pickleball is “great if you aren’t athletic.” He said that if he hears one more time that pickleball is America’s fastest growing sport, he was going to “throw up.” Of course, Johnny Mac is jealous that tennis courts are also being used for pickleball and in many places being turned completely into pickleball courts. Tennis is being overshadowed by America’s fastest growing sport. There, I said it. Someone get a bucket to Johnny Mac.
· The New York Knicks won their first NBA championship in 53 years because they are deeper and more experienced than the San Antonio Spurs, and because they had a closer in Jalen Brunson and San Antonio did not. I also think that Knicks coach Mike Brown out-coached Mitch Johnson, who let 7-foot, 4 inch Victor Wembenyama play too far from the basket and shoot too many threes. Johnson also should have played rookie sensation Dylan Harper more instead of De’Aaron Fox, who had a brutal series. The Knicks game 4 comeback from 29 points down was incredible. As a long-suffering Knicks fan, I’m thrilled about their unexpected championship.
My favorite pickleball shoes after trying at least a dozen brands is Montis, a fairly new company that is all about pickleball. Its court shoes were designed with input from pros and are the most comfortable and stable I have worn. Use discount code MS10 at checkout. I receive a 10 percent commission when my code is used. Need a solid new foam paddle at a great price? Check out Hudef’s Supercritical foam series. Use code MS10 to knock the price down by 10 percent. I get a 10 percent commission whenever my code is used. This is a company that does not charge more than $169.99 for any paddle, and that’s before the discount. The specs are similar if not exactly the same as competitors’ paddles that cost $250 and more.
