LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Leila Fadel. You know about the NBA, but what about the MLP, Major League Pickleball? A mix of tennis, pingpong and badminton, pickleball has exploded in popularity in recent years, and it's become such a sensation that LeBron James and his business partner, Maverick Carter, are now among the newest owners of a pro pickleball team. The name and the place aren't yet known, but 16 MLP teams are expected to play in six cities next year. It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.