Ahead of the Major League Pickleball season, LA Mad Drops teammates Ben Johns and Jade Kawamoto gave a humorous look at their developing collaboration, talking about favorite pickleball strokes and personal anxieties during a team bonding task. The chat discussed the chemistry forming between two of the team’s top players as they prepare to play together this season.
One of the first questions revolved around trash talk, an area where neither player claimed much expertise.
“I think we’re both pretty non-existent when it comes to trash talk, so neither,” said Johns on a YouTube talk show, when asked who was the bigger trash talker.
Kawamoto, however, admitted she might have a slight edge. “It is actually me,” she laughed, adding, “Ben wins a lot more, so he deserves to be able to talk trash.”
Johns revealed he rarely engages in it during competition. “I don’t think I’ve trash-talked in a tournament since probably 2021,” he said, although he acknowledged, “In practice, though, I actually do it a little bit.”
The pair also discussed their favorite shots on the pickleball court. Johns identified his trademark backhand counter as his go-to weapon, while Kawamoto highlighted the block reset. “I do like a reset, though,” Kawamoto said.
Away from the court, the conversation shifted to fears. While Kawamoto admitted she is terrified of spiders, Johns offered a less common answer.
“I actually find wolves scarier,” Johns explained. “They hunt in packs and are actively coming after you. A snake is usually just living its life unless you stumble onto it.”
Kawamoto was unconvinced. “My fear is much more cliché. Spiders. For good reason. They’re creepy little guys,” she said.
The exchange also revealed some personal preferences. Kawamoto named Twizzlers among her favorite candies and admitted she relies on caffeine before competition.
“I do need an iced coffee before I play, though,” she said.
Maybe the most illuminating response came when he was asked to which animal Johns most associated. “I relate to a bear because they’re mostly concerned with food and sleep and I’m into both of those things,” he joked.
Asked what animal he’d genuinely prefer to be, Johns had a different answer: “If I had to choose something to be, I’d be a tiger. A tiger is the biggest cat. Cats are very athletic. “That’s quite fun.”
When Johns pressed further, asking if any amount of money would convince her, Kawamoto’s answer was immediate. “No. Absolutely not.”
While the discussion was filled with laughter and playful banter, it also offered a glimpse into the camaraderie developing between two players expected to play important roles for the LA Mad Drops during the MLP season.
