Pablo Torre Finds Out

As the NBA's investigation heats up, Pablo goes behind closed doors — and emerges with fresh sunlight: What exactly did the Clippers know about Kawhi Leonard's no-show deal? When did Steve Ballmer really get to know the fraudster who paid him off? And what do Doc Rivers, the Ritz-Carlton and a topless fashion shoot have to do with the origin story of a "match made in heaven" that the richest owner in sports would rather you ignore? Amin Elhassan and David Samson shake their heads, as we fact-check a timeline that the Clippers want you to believe.

Previously on PTFO:

• Part I: The Silent Superstar and the Rotten Apple Tree

• Part II: An Argument with Mark Cuban

• Part III: The Mystery Investor, the No-Show Payday and the "Smoking Gun"

• Part IV: Steve Ballmer, the Other Cuban and the $118 Million Infusion

• Part V: Steve Ballmer's "Inconceivable" Donation, the $20 Million Guarantee and a Head on a Spike

• Part VI: An IRL Showdown with Mark Cuban

• Subscribe to Pablo's newsletter for exclusive access, documents and invites

• Subscribe to "Nothing Personal with David Samson"

• Subscribe to "Basketball Illuminati" with Amin Elhassan

(Pablo Torre Finds Out is independently produced by Meadowlark Media and distributed by The Athletic. The views, research and reporting expressed in this episode are solely those of Pablo Torre Finds Out and do not reflect the work or editorial input of The Athletic or its journalists.)

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Everyone complains about cellphones. But there's something bigger and more insidious going on, from football teams and Netflix shows to law schools and Instagram. So philosopher C. Thi Nguyen offers some gamified advice for 2026, to plug the downside of data into the upside of your mind: Metrics help you win at work, but can you free yourself from the algo? Hyper-optimization has changed the NBA, but what about your kitchen? We've handed over complexity for competition, but is there time to steal back our humanity from A.I.? Plus: punk points, art governments, sore losers at Twister, a context-invariant kernel... and The Meat Sack.

• Read "The Score: How to Stop Playing Somebody Else's Game" by C. Thi Nguyen

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Did Dennis Rodman and Karl Malone blow the 1998 NBA Finals by promoting their pro-wrestling match... on the court?! Should there be an asterisk?! Is it time for Michael Jordan to relinquish the throne?! Correspondent Neil Punsalan enters a sports marketing wormhole to present Pablo with a box full of evidence, grill eyewitnesses and put to rest — once and for all — if The Mailman always rings twice.

(This episode originally aired June 6, 2025.)

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He raps, cooks, paints, hosts and acts (for Martin Scorsese, at least). He also has philosophical explanations for why A) he never wears pants, B) his go-to move is the headbutt and C) nothing is better than a VHS tape. But Action Bronson had still never heard of the Accidental Bronson tribute account. Until this episode.

(This episode originally aired November 10, 2023.)

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LeBron called him the smartest hooper alive. Coach K called him an alien. Obama called him for a Hall-of-Fame pickup game (and a historic BBQ). But two-time NBA champion Shane Battier has been measuring the immeasurable inflection points of his career all along — from growing up "mixed, tall and poor"; to puking at Duke, guarding Kobe and witnessing LeBron's GOAT-defining game; to failing at ESPN and building a cabinet of relationships… including his therapist. Pablo cracks open the brain of the legend known as Lego, to find out if he really is human after all. Plus: Patrennessy, Laptop magazine and karaoke. Lots of karaoke.

(This episode originally aired June 5, 2025.)

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Under-recruited running back from a collapsed American city — with a single mom and a dream — wins the Super Bowl. Sounds familiar, right? But NFL coach Deland McCullough's story, as told through his book with Sarah Spain, has a twist all its own. (Thanks to a little help from Sir Mix-a-Lot.)

(This episode originally aired May 27, 2025.)

• Read "Runs in the Family"

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How did the shadowy general manager of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Sam Presti, become an urban legend? Pablo unearths a treasure buried by its own elaborate design... then dances into The Jazz Rabbit Hole with Wyatt Cenac and a special mystery guest.

(This episode originally aired June 12, 2025.)

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In our year-end holiday spectacular, we get a visit from The Ghost of Podcast Future — and get increasingly loose: Has this show been ripped from the headlines? When did women start to stinkin'? Is Pablo the 50 Cent of journalism? And the tree is gone, but does the fire remain? Plus: legumes, gifts, 0.5x bonus points, Mad Dog's dildo policy, slingin' grease with Cletus... and hearing a smile.

• Call our hotline: (513) 85-PABLO

• Decorate our tree: 33°56'36.5"N, 118°20'38.7"W

• Previously on PTFO: Debunking the Myths of Bill Belichick's Consigliere

• Previously on PTFO: We All Have a Number

• Subscribe to "Casuals with Katie Nolan"

• Listen to "Sorry for Your Loss" by Michael Cruz Kayne

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If you thought reuniting The Sopranos and Wu-Tang to recruit LeBron James and Kevin Durant were the ultimate celebrity pitches, just wait until Pablo unboxes this time capsule for Desus Nice, Frank Isola... and you.

Previously on PTFO:

• Share & Wu & Tell with Method Man and Dan Le Batard

• We Found the Secret Tape the Knicks Made for LeBron

More PTFO:

• Subscribe to Pablo Torre Finds Out on YouTube to watch all three Knicks videos and get special holiday bonus content

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Did Warner Bros. start a war so that its CEO could cash in for courtside seats? Would Mickey Mouse give a fast pass to FIFA? And what did our white-hat hackers learn this year on Rich Guys OnlyFans? John Skipper and David Samson butt heads about sports business — plus invent a new cocktail.

• Previously on The Sporting Class: On The Witness Stand at the FIFA Bribery Trial with John Skipper

• Subscribe to "Nothing Personal with David Samson"

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The internet is feasting on the files of a scandal (almost) everyone can agree upon. But who's following the money? Our friends from the inimitable TrueAnon podcast — Brace Belden and Liz Franczak — break down the latest tranches, the hidden characters, the sports billionaires, the Trump doodles... and how Prince Andrew got his sweat back.

• Subscribe to TrueAnon

• Read Drop Site's reporting on Epstein's Yahoo inbox

• Previously on PTFO: The NBA Player, the Congressman and the Epstein Files

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What happens when the richest people on Earth thirst for content? Sir Mike Schur and mere serf Joe Mande de-code Silicon Valley's playbook for Hollywood in the bidding war for Warner Bros. — and start an auction of their own.

• Bid to win Joe Mande's custom hat for a good cause!

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Does Gen X know how to FaceTime? Will money contaminate your team? Can your creativity breed insomnia? Why are rappers good liars? And did Wu-Tang really make a KD recruitment video for the Knicks? Plus: Pharma Bro, JV wrestling, beating Stugotz's team in lacrosse, a cautionary tale from "How High"... and the f*ckin' Jets.

Further content:

• Watch "Trouble Man" starring Method Man

• "Is Gen X Actually the Greatest Generation?"

• The Multi-Million Dollar Wu Tang Clan Music Video Meant for One Person

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America disappeared an innocent man into a terrorist prison, for his Real Madrid tattoo. This is his story of survival — and resistance — from correspondent Paola Ramos.

• Previously on PTFO: The Goalie Who Disappeared

• Read "Defectors" by Paola Ramos

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