Project Flamingo Pickleball Paddle: The Proton Series Three – Project Flamingo has become one of the most popular pickleball paddles of 2025, helping players win big in tournaments around the world. The paddle is earning praise for its mix of power, spin, and control.
Pro Players Find Success with the Flamingo
Top pickleball players have helped put the Project Flamingo paddle in the spotlight. Andrei Daescu, Proton’s best-known pro, has earned five men’s doubles medals in 2025, including four straight titles from February to March. CJ Klinger, a left-handed player, has added three doubles medals of his own using the Flamingo.
On the women’s side, Kaitlyn Christian reached three straight finals early this year and won the 2025 Proton Australia Pickleball Open with the Flamingo.
Even players without Proton sponsorship have turned to the Flamingo. Selkirk-sponsored Quang Duong made headlines when he used a blacked-out version of the paddle during a match at the 2025 Zimmer Biomet The Masters. Jackie Kawamoto and Jade Kawamoto, after leaving Selkirk, also quickly chose the Flamingo for their games.
Features and Design of the Project Flamingo
The Project Flamingo paddle is packed with advanced features. It weighs about 8.0 ounces and measures 16.5 inches long. The handle is 5.375 inches, and the paddle width is 7.5 inches.
Proton used roughness-enhanced Aerospace Grade Carbon Fiber for the paddle’s face and added a special “Velocity Core” with a 15mm polypropylene honeycomb core. Joseph Sutton, product manager at Pickleball Central, shared in a video that the Velocity Core “allows the core to reflect more energy back into the ball.”
He also explained that Proton switched from 8mm cells to 6mm cells inside the paddle, a design often used in control paddles.
“We’ve got the benefits of Gen 3 construction with that additional layer of foam that gives you an enlarged sweet spot with a little bit more power, and we’ve got the control-oriented cell size at 6mm working together to create a really unique feel.” – (Joseph Sutton)
Performance Review of the Project Flamingo
A 4.5-level player who tested the paddle shared strong feedback.
Power: The paddle offers strong, controlled power, especially from the baseline. Shots flew off the paddle without needing extra swing speed.
Spin: Spin potential is one of the paddle’s best features. Players can create heavy topspin on drives, drops, and kitchen rolls with ease.
Control/Defense: The paddle allows good control when blocking and resetting, even in tough transition zones.
Grip: The stock grip gets wet easily but can be fixed with an overgrip. Overall, the player found that the Flamingo combines modern power paddle strengths with better control than many newer models.
What This Means for Pickleball
The success of the Project Flamingo shows how much pickleball technology is growing. With players of all levels trusting this paddle, Proton’s next release will have high expectations. The Flamingo might set a new standard for balance between power, spin, and control in the sport.
News in Brief: Project Flamingo Pickleball Paddle
The Proton Series Three – Project Flamingo paddle has become a favorite in 2025, boosting top players to medal wins. The paddle combines power, spin, and control. Proton’s success with the Flamingo hints at exciting future innovations.