Injuries have followed the Brooklyn Pickleball Team for two years running, and this season was no different. Brooklyn spent much of 2026 without Riley Newman, who was hurt in a scooter accident, and without Rachel Rohrabacher, who was injured in a video board incident at the New York event.
It’s become something of a pattern for this team. A year earlier, it was Dekel Bar who missed significant time with health issues.
At this point, Brooklyn’s medical staff probably knows the DFW-area urgent care centers by name.It’s become something of a pattern for this team. A year earlier, it was Dekel Bar who missed significant time with health issues. At this point, Brooklyn’s medical staff probably knows the DFW-area urgent care centers by name.
But here’s the thing, even banged up, Brooklyn has been one of the best teams in the league. The team finished second in each of its last two regular season events despite the injuries, and locked in the No. 5 seed heading into the playoffs. As the top seed without a first-round bye, Brooklyn even got to choose its own opponent, picking SoCal over Chicago.
That decision made plenty of sense on paper. SoCal is already without its best player, Armaan Bhatia, who is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury. Brooklyn is expected to cruise through this matchup and into the quarterfinals without much trouble.
The bigger question is what happens after that. If Newman and Rohrabacher are truly healthy again, Brooklyn suddenly looks like one of the scariest teams left in the field. Analysts believe the team has been playing it safe with both players, easing them back in with an eye on peaking for the playoffs rather than the regular season.
Brooklyn’s game plan so far has been simple. Throw out whichever of Rachel or Riley is healthier first, and let the depth of the roster take care of the rest.
If that health holds up through Dallas and beyond, won’t just be a threat. They’ll be the team nobody wants to face.