From Nowitzki to Romo, local sports heroes attend & play in Celebrity Pickleball Showdown

FARMERS BRANCH (CBSNewsTexas.com) — Some of the biggest stars in professional sports competed on the same court together Tuesday.

The Celebrity Pickleball Showdown in Farmers Branch included a lot of familiar names, like Dirk Nowitzki, Scottie Scheffler, Jason Kidd, John Isner and Marty Turco.

Tony Romo and Luka Doncic were also watching along with thousands of others at the Brookhaven Country Club.  

“This is like rockstar level,” Nowitzki said. “It’s a different sport than what we try to do…the touch, the dinking with the net, the hand-eye coordination.”

Kidd said he thinks he can move better than Nowitzki, but that the retired Mavs legend “may have the reach.”  

The local heroes may be past their prime in the sports that made them famous, but pickleball has given them a new competitive outlet. 

“I would say last year it was mostly fun, this year was a little more competitive because Scottie Scheffler is actually really good at pickleball,” said Isner.

The exhibition also showcased pickleball’s top male and female players who are competing with 3,500 others in the national championships, which North Texas is hosting for the first time.

And while these superstars may have a lot to learn about pickleball, they showed they still know how to give their fans thrilling moments to remember.