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Major League Table Tennis (MLTT)
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Full list of players in the season 4 draft, which will start on 4/30 at noon Eastern US time. Lots of Koreans in it.
MLTT Announces List of Candidates for Season 4 Draft
Major League Table Tennis (MLTT) announced its list of players who have declared for the Season 4 MLTT Draft.www.mltt.com
Each team's rosters before the draft, with who is returning and who is departing
Here's What Every MLTT Roster Looks Like Before the Season 4 Draft
Teams spent the past two weeks deciding which players they will keep for Season 4 and negotiating new contracts with them. Players who were released by their teams were offered the opportunity to enter the upcoming Season 4 MLTT Draft.
Is the draft being live streamed anywhere?
Not seeing on YouTube or TT tv
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I didn't find any. If anyone knows, let us know.
I'm following this draft tracker- https://www.mltt.com/news/season-4-mltt-draft-live-pick-tracker
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In Round 2, LA picked Zhang Binyue, getting both the highest-rated (at least by Spindex) man and woman in the draft
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Must be an availability issue because An Jaehyun far and away the best player in the draft, but 2027 is a lead up year to the Olympics.
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It is ridiculous that there's no livestream... not even for paid subscribers of tabletennis.tv .
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One week later..
Great to see how far MLTT has come in just the 4th season. Not just a "retirement home" league but one that is attracting more and more top talent every season like I thought it would, now with several active WTT players as well as giving a platform for up and comers to show what they have.
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Availability plus how much someone prioritizes league play versus WTT play is another factor.
Unrelated note, did Yancheng Huang ever play a match for Bay Area?
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No, he's not on the Power Rankings list
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Fighting the EJ bug again...
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Agreed. As an ATLien I'm excited to see Aruna playing for us but I was scratching my head how AJH got passed over four times. I'm guessing the coaches decided they'd rather have a great player consistently than an outstanding one occasionally.
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If I'm not mistaken, every team now has at least 1 player from China, not surprisingly.
Also, every team except NY now has at least 1 player from Korea. Defending champ Portland added 2 with back-to-back picks (one of them obtained via the Rachel Sung - Minhyung Jee trade with Atlanta) to have 3. Before the draft, they released Kang Dong-Soo, who got picked up by Princeton.
Also, every team except NY now has at least 1 player from Korea. Defending champ Portland added 2 with back-to-back picks (one of them obtained via the Rachel Sung - Minhyung Jee trade with Atlanta) to have 3. Before the draft, they released Kang Dong-Soo, who got picked up by Princeton.
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MLTT Season 4 schedule is now out. The opening weekend in Atlanta, Sept 11-13, might have Aruna and An together.
Also, they are shutting down tabletennis.tv and will be putting the action back on YouTube
Also, they are shutting down tabletennis.tv and will be putting the action back on YouTube
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Not expecting to see much of An... good move to give up the TTTV
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Fighting the EJ bug again...
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They would schedule this for the one weekend I'm out of town... 😭
Granted, I'll be in Düsseldorf instead, but I was really looking forward to watching Aruna in person.
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Interview with Takashi Itagaki who is Atlanta's new coach (you need a subscription to read the whole interview).
- He previously coached Koenigshofen (German Bundesliga) for 11 seasons
- Itagaki took up the challenge because the team building process through the draft appealed to him
- He didn't hesitate selecting Aruna as the first pick. One reason was that Aruna wanted to play in all MLTT matches
- He is the father of Koharu Itagaki who is the U15 Girls' Singles World Youth Champion
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"Building a team from scratch again"—that was what I was looking forward to.
――You left Germany and chose the MLTT as your next stage. "I gained so much experience in Germany, and the club even made it to the playoffs. I felt like I had reached a natural turning point." Of course, there was the option to stay in a familiar environment. Yet, the reason for deciding to take on the challenge of a new league was clear. "As a coach, there is certainly appeal in building something up over time in the same place. But at the same time, I wanted to put myself in a new environment and test just how well I could compete." The MLTT is a new professional league that launched in 2023. What intrigued Mr. Itagaki the most was the team-building process, which centered on a draft system. "In Europe, clubs sign players directly to form teams, but the MLTT uses a draft. As a head coach, I could be deeply involved in constructing the team, and that aspect really appealed to me."
Deciding "which players to keep first"—Yuya Oshima was among them.
The first task for the new season was evaluating the players who had been with the team the previous season. "We had eight players on the roster last season, so the first step was considering which of them to keep." One of the players Mr. Itagaki decided to retain as a core pillar of the team was Yuya Oshima. "I wanted Oshima to stay. He already understands the team from last season, and he’s a player I can rely on with confidence." While selecting three new players via the draft, he sought to balance the squad by keeping the experienced Oshima as a foundation. "A team won't gel if it's made up entirely of new players. It’s the presence of existing players that allows new talent to truly shine." The presence of Oshima—who has competed on the world stage for years as a member of the Japanese national team—holds great significance not only for his play but also for the process of building the team. "I think Japanese fans will also take an interest in the league if Aruna is playing in it."
Selecting Aruna as the first overall pick without hesitation
On the day of the draft, Atlanta won the right to the first overall pick via a lottery. "We were lucky enough to draw the number one pick." At that moment, Mr. Itagaki had already made up his mind. "I had decided from the very beginning that we absolutely had to get Aruna." The player selected in the first round was Nigeria's ace, Quadri Aruna—a figure who has long competed at the highest global level and spearheaded African table tennis. "He’s the kind of player who can become the core of the team; we needed a player to serve as that anchor." What further reassured Mr. Itagaki was Aruna's own attitude. "He told us he intends to play in every single match." Top-ranked players often face scheduling conflicts with international tournaments, so they cannot always commit to playing a full league season. The fact that Aruna showed a willingness to contribute to the team throughout the season gave the coach great peace of mind.
It’s not just about "who to pick"—figuring out "how to combine them" is the coach's job
The appeal of the MLTT lies in the fact that simply gathering top players doesn't guarantee victory. "Since it's a draft, you can't always get every player you want." That is precisely why the overall balance of the team becomes so important. "You have to build the team while considering things like what kind of doubles pair a certain combination of players could form, or how the team dynamic changes with the addition of a specific player." For Mr. Itagaki, this is a task where he can leverage the experience he has accumulated over the years in the Bundesliga. "It’s not just about the matches themselves; it’s about how to lead the entire team to victory. Thinking through the preparations for that is truly enjoyable."
Hoping Japanese fans will watch the MLTT
The MLTT brings together top players from around the world, and Japanese players are making their mark there as well. "For Japanese fans, there are familiar faces—like Oshima—and the chance to see them compete against the world's best." Beyond Oshima, other former students from his days at Aomori Yamada—Koki Niwa and Takuya Jin—are also competing in the MLTT as members of rival teams. "Since Niwa and Jin are on opposing teams, I’m looking forward to those matchups. It feels like a remarkable twist of fate to be competing against players I once worked with at Aomori Yamada—now facing them from the positions of coach and player." He will be going head-to-head in an American professional league against the very students with whom he once strove for national championship glory from the bench. This reunion is another source of excitement for Itagaki in the MLTT. Armed with the experience gained over eleven seasons in Germany, he is now setting out to build a new legacy in the United States. "It’s a challenge starting from scratch, but that’s what I’m excited about. Thinking for myself to build a team, fighting alongside the players, and aiming for victory—that mindset hasn't changed since I first went to Germany eleven years ago." Carrying the experience he has accumulated in a foreign land, Koji Itagaki is embarking on a new challenge. How will the MLTT—featuring Japanese players—evolve from here? It is a journey that Japanese table tennis fans should certainly keep an eye on.
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