To those familiar with basketball, the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) was navigating the athlete recruitment battles, hidden deals, and global sneaker brand involvement long before NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) became widely known. A new documentary, “THE SPOILS: Selling the Future of American Basketball,” directed by Mike Nicoll, made its debut on June 13, spotlighting this evolution. The film focuses on the renowned Los Angeles-based AAU program, Compton Magic.
“THE SPOILS” offers ten years of exclusive footage and unprecedented access, delving into the world of amateur basketball. The documentary highlights the Compton Magic and their CEO, Etop Udo-Ema, who has successfully guided over 35 players to the NBA in the past 20 years.
“This film narrates the origin of contemporary NBA culture,” said Nicoll, a former Los Angeles AAU player. “No movie has ever provided this level of access before. Our film reveals the stark capitalism of an American basketball system designed to identify, elevate, and profit from ‘The Next LeBron.’”
The documentary follows generations of Compton Magic stars from a pre-NIL era, featuring players such as Evan Mobley of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Onyeka Okongwu of the Atlanta Hawks, and Johnny Juzang of the Utah Jazz. It also includes insights from basketball authorities like Jay Bilas, Sonny Vaccaro, and Howard Beck, who discuss the grassroots industry and its financial aspects.
“NIL money has transformed ‘amateur’ sports, and gambling funds sports media,” Nicoll noted. “We aimed to uncover the truth about the game. Money has fundamentally corrupted the system. What happens to the sport when the game itself becomes a secondary concern?”
“THE SPOILS: Selling the Future of American Basketball” is available on the JOLT website .
