Podcast Summary:

Pablo Torre Finds Out
Episode Title: The Secret Album That the NBA's Best Executive Doesn't Want You to Hear (PTFO Vault)
Date: December 25, 2025
Host: Pablo Torre
Guests: Wyatt Cenac, Mike Tucker, Matt Morin, Dara Mirzai, Branford Marsalis

Episode Overview

This episode is a deep-dive “talkumentary” unraveling the little-known musical side of one of basketball’s most private power brokers: Oklahoma City Thunder GM Sam Presti. Pablo Torre, with help from Emmy-winning comedian Wyatt Cenac and lauded jazz musicians, uncovers Presti’s hidden past as a college band leader and the mystery surrounding his lost 1990s CD, Milk Money—a jazz-influenced hip-hop album few have ever heard, and even fewer can find. The episode explores Presti’s obsession with secrecy, how music obsessed and shaped his executive approach, and why he never wanted this creative side of himself to meet the public. The story includes exclusive interviews, rare music clips, and live, on-air critiques by legendary saxophonist Branford Marsalis.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sam Presti: The NBA’s Cloak-and-Dagger Executive

• [05:25] Pablo Torre describes Presti’s roots in the Spurs organization and notes his extreme privacy.
• [06:00] Guest Branford Marsalis (quoting Stephen A. Smith) acknowledges Presti’s exceptional executive run—highlighting his shrewd drafting (Durant, Westbrook, Harden), ability to rebuild, and his "black box" persona.
• [08:04] Pablo reveals: “Sam Presti did not want me to do this episode with you, Wyatt.”

2. The Rabbit Hole: Presti’s Hidden Music Life

• [10:52] Pablo notices, from a rare press conference, that Presti’s real passion is music documentaries.
• [14:45] Dara Mirzai, an Oklahoma City superfan, stumbles on a used CD in a Boston record shop: Sam Presti - Milk Money. Upon listening, he recognizes Presti’s voice—confirming its authenticity.
• [16:30] Dara tried uploading Milk Money online, only to receive requests—likely from people close to Presti—to take it down.

Wyatt Cenac [15:09]: “It says Sam Presti. The title of the album is Milk Money… This feels very much, I would say, mid-90s.”
Pablo Torre [16:57]: "The question is, is it actually so embarrassing that you would want this scrubbed?"

3. Unpacking the Album: Players, Process & Significance

• [19:58] Grammy-nominated saxophonist Mike Tucker and pianist Matt Morin recount how Presti, the cool basketball kid, recruited the "band room dorks" to record an eclectic blend of jazz and hip-hop.
• [21:01] “He definitely made a real impression on me… [He] didn’t want to do anything specifically jazz or hip hop, but was into both.” – Mike Tucker
• [23:21] Wyatt reflects on the profound jazz/hip-hop crossover of the era: “He and I were drinking the same water. This is, this is… I know you, Sam.”
• [27:22] Matt Morin draws parallels between Presti selecting less-commercial art in music and basketball—eschewing the “Big Three” formula for a team-based approach in a small market.

Pablo Torre [28:49]: "That exact argument might be embodied in the album's fourth track… an original song titled 'Nothing to Lose.'"

4. Listening Session: What’s Milk Money Actually Like?

• [29:05] Pablo and Wyatt play clips, analyze influences (A Tribe Called Quest, Guru’s Jazzmatazz, The Roots), and discuss the album’s charitable legacy—Presti donated concert proceeds to Boston Children’s Hospital.
• [31:39] The band soon drifted apart; the album faded into obscurity except for rare moments of rediscovery.

5. Expert Critique: Enter Branford Marsalis

• [38:38] Legendary saxophonist Branford Marsalis joins by request, reminiscing about his career and his own affinity for privacy—much like Presti.
• [42:05] Marsalis reveals his friendship with both Presti and Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, noting how both use jazz as a metaphor for team-building:
  • Comping vs Soloing (supporting the team vs individual glory)
  • Ego management and improvisation within structured rules

Branford Marsalis [42:51]: “He [Carlisle] writes back and says, you really like these guys. They love comping as much as they love soloing. And I was like, this is the hippest dude on the damn planet.”

6. Live Critique: Branford Marsalis Reviews Milk Money

• [53:01] Marsalis reacts: “He was just firing, going all over, so he can play... I just love the fact that Sam can keep a groove that sounds like the 90s, the 90s vibe.”
• [54:56] Notes trumpet’s Miles influence, the band’s discipline, praises Presti for sticking to the groove instead of drawing attention.
• [59:44] Analyses of a Coltrane standard, lauds Presti’s non-cliché drumming: “Way to think it through. But it’s good, man… I Know he's going to be mad at you for playing this for me. It's cool, man. I'm a cop the record.”

Branford Marsalis [47:36]: “The thing I love about him is if you didn't know what he did, you wouldn't know what he does. He wouldn't introduce it. He'd never bring it up.”

7. The Value of a Liberal Arts Past

• [61:41] Marsalis bemoans the loss of liberal arts education—arguing that Presti’s artistic experience makes him a stronger executive and thinker.

Branford Marsalis: “The fact that Sam is an executive and he also had this music career… it's gonna make him a better executive, you know, because everything you learn, you carry with you.”

8. Fans & Legacy: A Rare Human Side

• [62:54] Dara Mirzai, the re-discoverer, reflects: “I like this album because it’s sort of him personally, to a certain extent. Like… everything he says, it sounds like he's rehearsed it over 20 times.”
• [63:27] The episode closes with Pablo wondering how Presti (who declined comment) will feel about this rare glimpse into his private world.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [06:00] Branford Marsalis (as Stephen A. Smith): “I, Stephen A. Smith, owe this man an apology.”
• [08:44] Pablo Torre: "The reason that Sam Presti considered hiring Brian Windhorst away from ESPN is that information to Sam Presti is currency."
• [18:03] Wyatt Cenac: “Three 6 Mafia was on Relativity. Common was on Relativity.”
• [27:08] Wyatt Cenac: “There was a piece from the Roots from Proceed. There was something from… you could hear Q Tip in there. He and I were drinking the same water. This is… I know you, Sam.”
• [43:19] Pablo Torre: "So the NBA Finals of the year 2025 AD are also the Branford Marsalis finals."
• [45:37] Branford Marsalis: “It’s free flowing as long as everybody understands what the construct is and what the rules are.”
• [53:11] Branford Marsalis: “I just love the fact that Sam can keep a groove that sounds like the 90s, the 90s vibe.”
• [61:41] Branford Marsalis: “Everything you learn, you carry with you.”

Segment Timestamps

• 05:25 – Intro to Sam Presti’s background & privacy
• 10:52 – Presti’s love for music documentaries emerges
• 14:45 – The CD discovery: Sam Presti – Milk Money
• 19:58 – Interview: Grammy-nominated saxophonist Mike Tucker
• 23:21 – Hip-hop & jazz crossovers in the 90s
• 29:05 – Listening to Milk Money; roots and charity legacy
• 38:38 – Branford Marsalis joins, connects jazz & basketball
• 42:05 – Indiana Pacers’ jazz-minded approach; comping vs soloing
• 53:01 – Marsalis listens to & critiques Milk Money tracks
• 61:41 – The importance of liberal arts and Presti’s well-roundedness
• 62:54 – Fan Dara on Presti’s rare human side
• 64:09 – Episode’s reflections, Wyatt’s on-air jazz outro

Tone & Style

Humorous, curious, and reverent. Pablo, Wyatt, and the correspondents exude a mix of playful irreverence and genuine investigative spirit, balanced by respect for the craft—both in basketball and music. Guests are frank, occasionally self-deprecating, and often warm. Milk Money is treated as a quirky cultural relic, Presti as a fascinating anomaly.

Conclusion

This episode is a portrait of private ambition, hidden creativity, and how diverse passions (like arts and team-building) can intertwine to remarkable effect. Through the tale of Sam Presti’s lost jazz-rap album, Pablo Torre and crew offer rare human insights into one of sports’ most enigmatic leaders, championing the value of keeping a “liberal arts” mind—even at the top.

End of Summary