The Making of The Spoils feat. Director Mike Nicoll

PREP Athletics Basketball Podcast

▶️Show Notes

In this episode of the PREP Athletics Podcast, director Mike Nicoll discusses his new movie, The Spoils, which peels back the layers of corporate influence to paint an honest, foundational portrait of America’s basketball infrastructure. Nicoll shares his love for basketball and how it has been the focal point of his life. He explains that his filmmaking strategy is to tell stories that he can tell better than anyone else, and he felt that the AAU basketball world was not well understood by most people. Nicoll also discusses his previous film, At All Costs, and how it focused on demonstrating the interconnectivity of the American basketball system. The conversation explores the evolution and growth of the Compton Magic AAU program and the challenges faced by players and their families in the basketball system. It discusses the need for deepening the audience connection with the film 'The Spoils' and the importance of having a North Star in decision-making. The conversation also touches on the role of USA Basketball and the NBA in shaping the future of the game, as well as the changing mindset of parents in the basketball world.

🗒️ About Mike Nicoll:

Recognized as an innovative filmmaker, Mike Nicoll is an award-winning director known for his work on "At All Costs," a documentary about AAU basketball acquired by Netflix in 2017 and described by the LA Times as "a modern-day Hoop Dreams." Following its success, Mike expanded the concept into a docu-series, "Lynchpin: Inside the Business of Basketball," and a feature film, "The Spoils: Selling the Future of American Basketball," set to premiere in June 2024 on Jolt.Film. With a B.A. from the University of Michigan and an M.F.A from USC's School of Cinematic Arts, Mike has produced impactful projects for major clients including Nike, Netflix, and Facebook, and generated over 30 million views across various platforms.
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#TheSpoils #AAUBasketball #MikeNicoll #DocumentaryFilmmaking #BasketballDocumentary #NBAandAmateurism #AmericanBasketball #ComptonMagic #USABasketball #BasketballSystem #YouthBasketball #FilmMaking #SportsDocumentary #BasketballCulture
🔗 Connect with Mike:

Website | https://thespoilsmovie.com/
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/thespoilsfilm/
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-nicoll/
Twitter | https://twitter.com/mikenicollmedi

🔗 Connect with Cory:
Website | https://www.prepathletics.com
Twitter | https://twitter.com/PREP_Athletics
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/prep.athletics/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/PrepAthletics
Email | [e-mail]
Phone | 859-317-1166
🔖 Subscribe to the PREP Athletics Podcast:
iTunes | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prep-athletics-podcast/id1546265809?uo=4
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/6CAKbXFiIOhoHinzsReYbJ
Amazon | https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3c37179d-3371-47f9-9d97-fd569e8802a7/prep-athletics-basketball-podcast #AmazonMusic

Chapters

1. Introduction (00:00:00)

2. Where did Mike’s love of basketball come from? (00:01:19)

3. About Mike's movie, “At All Costs” (00:03:18)

4. Why Basketball Players Need an Advocate (00:08:16)

5. Is education a point of emphasis in the American basketball system? (00:12:19)

6. The Pressures Put on Players Like Mikey Williams (00:18:03)

7. How Mike would approach having a son who’s a rising star (00:22:56)

8. The consequences of growing self-interest in basketball (00:27:49)

9. How do you find a player the right scholarship? (00:29:42)

10. The myth of arrival (00:32:17)

11. The Evolution of Compton Magic founder, Etop Udo-Ema (00:35:48)

12. What will the system of basketball look like in 5 years? (00:38:54)

13. How Mike would fix the system of basketball (00:44:22)

14. Has there been a change in the mentality of basketball parents? (00:47:02)

15. Quick Hitters (00:49:57)

16. Where to watch and learn more about The Spoils (00:55:46)