Tama Shimabukuro, a 15-year-old American pickleball player who recently claimed the men's doubles championship at the 2026 Opendoor Pickleball World Championships on the PPA Tour, has officially joined Viet Panthers.

In the final held in Texas, United States, on November 8, Shimabukuro partnered with JW Johnson to stage a remarkable comeback against Christian Alshon and Andrei Daescu.

After losing the opening two games, the pair rallied to secure a 3-2 victory and claim the championship.

According to the PPA Tour, Shimabukuro became the youngest men's doubles champion in the tour's history at just 15 years old.

His arrival adds another promising talent to the Viet Panthers roster, which also includes Do Minh Quan, Truong Vinh Hien, Sophia Nhi Huynh, Ho Tam (Ken Tam) and Kaitlyn Christian.

Alongside plans to participate in MLP Asia, ASP is working toward developing MLP Vietnam from 2027.

As part of those preparations, additional players meeting the required professional standards are expected to sign contracts starting in December 2026, helping strengthen the teams ahead of upcoming competitions.

Duy Nguyen