Major League Pickleball Australia’s mid-season Shuffle Draft on August 5, 2025 delivered a jolt of Asian firepower. China’s Yufei Long went to the Sydney Smash, Malaysia’s Jimmy Liong joined the Northern Crocs, and Vietnam’s Ken (Ho) Tam signed with the SEA Surge. The Shuffle Draft allows each club to drop one player and add a new piece for the run-in.
All three are members of the inaugural UPA Asia Trailblazers Program—a 12-athlete class unveiled in March to accelerate elite development across the region. The class includes Long, Liong, and Tam, among others, with a three-month U.S. training block and tour starts built in.
Why These Picks Hit
Long’s form is surging. In June, she and fellow Trailblazer Jamie Wei fought at the Select Medical Orange County Cup in San Clemente to play for a spot in the quarterfinals.
A month later, Long made history—the first PPA Tour Asia women’s singles champion—by defeating Nicola Schoeman at the Panas Malaysia Open. Schoeman was the first overall pick in the MLP Australia Draft, underscoring the quality of Long’s victory.
Jimmy Liong has shown steady, month‑over‑month improvements, carrying a DUPR 5.271 (singles) and 5.321 (doubles). His semifinal run at the Panas Malaysia Open 2025 confirmed steady gains—exactly the profile the Crocs value.
Ken Tam’s rise continues. With DUPR 5.155 (singles) and 5.299 (doubles) and status as a Trailblazers cohort fixture, Ken Tam now slots directly into the SEA Surge’s international-leaning roster build.
A Wider Asian Wave
The Shuffle Draft also welcomed Nok Yiu Tang (Hong Kong) to the Brisbane Breakers, Mihae Kwon (Korea) to Gold Coast Glory, Mayu Ito (Japan) to the Southern Stars, and Filipino-American Ruben A Gonzales Jr doubles veteran to the SEA Surge—extending a clear talent trend from Asia into MLP Australia rosters.
MLP Australia’s second half begins at the Queensland Slam, September 11–14, where these signings debut and chemistry gets stress-tested under rally scoring.
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