From Selkirk to RPM: Pickleball Pro James Ignatowich Announces Own Paddle Brand, Hard Launch Set on 29 September 2025
From being Selkirk-sponsored to owning a paddle brand of his own. This sums up James Ignatowich’s latest career arc after he announced his new brand, named RPM, and plans for a hard launch on 29 September 2025.
RPM, to date, already has its own signature paddle line, the Friction Pro Series. This line-up of next-generation paddles is already USAP-certified and slated to officially launch during RPM’s formal hard launch. Ignatowich told fellow pro Zane Navratil on the latter’s PicklePod podcast that RPM is expecting UPA-A certification soon as well, but the paddles will be “blacked out” through the end of 2025.
Ignatowich was tight-lipped about the fine details of the Friction Pro Series, although the RPM site describes it as prioritising spin. Incidentally, “RPM” in paddle parlance is short for “revolutions per minute,” so it makes sense that RPM-made paddles will focus on spin. The RPM website also states its paddles feature Tri-Density Core Technology, where three different materials with varying densities are used to make each paddle. This maximises the sweet spot size and adds solidity to the edge.
“I specifically made it for higher-level play,” said Ignatowich, who also revealed to Navratil that fellow pro and close friend Ryan Fu will be using the Friction Pro on tour once it gets UPA-A certification.
The Journey for the Best Paddle: How Ignatowich Ended Up with RPM
Previously, Ignatowich was using paddles from Selkirk Sport as part of the latter’s sponsorship. But it turns out he was not always happy with his equipment—Selkirk-made or otherwise. So, he started researching paddles and what makes them great.
Ignatowich, by his own account, spent six hours or more a day for about a year just dissecting paddles from every manufacturer and trying out his own designs. He said he made about 40 prototypes in his search for the perfect paddle.
“It became my passion,” he told Zane. “I can tell you everything about any paddle.”
With all that knowledge, all that was left for Ignatowich was to manufacture his own paddles using his self-taught expertise. He admitted that creating a brand was not in his mind when he started out on his journey, but he went out and did it anyway as the fitting culmination of his paddle journey.
“I was always wondering how you make a better paddle,” he further told Navratil. “I wasn’t really trying to make a company in the beginning.”
And now Ignatowich is here—the founder of the soon-to-be-launched RPM.
It has been quite the journey, for sure.
