Throwbacks with Matt Leinart & Jerry Ferrara

Episode: The Hustler That Changed The AAU Game: Myron Piggie
Date: November 26, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the untold and often misunderstood story of Myron Piggie, a legendary figure in the AAU basketball world whose controversial career drastically influenced the current landscape of amateur and college sports. Hosts Matt Leinart and Jerry Ferrara explore how Piggie’s decisions, challenges, and sacrifices shaped both the AAU circuit and many young athletes’ lives. Their conversation touches on athlete recruitment, the commercialization of youth sports, the impact of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) reforms, and the personal costs Piggie faced for actions now widely accepted.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Life Updates and Host Banter

Timestamps: 00:32–03:36

• Jerry and Matt open with family stories, Jerry's 46th birthday, and the chaos (or peace) of fatherhood.
• They reflect on generational changes and their own upbringing in sports.

2. Setting the Scene: The Myth and Impact of Myron Piggie

Timestamps: 03:36–06:40

• Jerry introduces the legendary status of Myron Piggie, “the godfather of AAU,” who shaped the careers of notable athletes despite later being incarcerated for actions now largely permitted.
• Discussion of Piggie’s new book, The Hustler That Changed the Game, and its Hollywood potential.

3. The Golden Age of AAU: Talent and Legends

Timestamps: 08:10–12:41

• Matt and Jerry reminisce about legendary AAU and high school players, emphasizing the talent pipeline and unpredictability of who "makes it." Discussion centers on Shea Cotton, Stephon Marbury, and Felipe Lopez.
• Insight: "The talent only gets you so far, man. It's like the mental part. It's the grind." - Matt (12:18)

4. Introducing Myron Piggie — His Beginnings and Philosophy

Timestamps: 13:00–16:24

• Piggie describes facing powerhouse teams (e.g., NY Riverside Church) and the moment he realized he needed to “recruit like the big boys” to compete.
• Notable quote: “We got smashed by 50...That’s when I had to regroup, man. I got to go out and recruit some players to play against these big boys.” – Myron Piggie (14:02)

5. Building a Program: Recruiting and Changing the Game

Timestamps: 14:30–16:24

• Piggie details his recruiting methods pre-social media: flying around the country, consulting recruiting services, and holding tryouts by bringing top prospects to Kansas City.

6. Then vs. Now: The Shift in AAU Culture

Timestamps: 17:22–19:26

• Differences between Piggie’s era and now:
  • Then: Mixed sponsorship; “Everybody played everybody.”
  • Now: Brands dictate tournaments; parents are much more involved.
• “Back then parents weren’t paying to be in that space...I would have my parents drop my kids off.” – Myron Piggie (17:56)

7. Why Piggie’s Story Matters

Timestamps: 20:10–22:09

• Piggie insists his motivation was purely to help kids from the hood: “My job was...to make sure when they went home, they was able to have lights, gas, and food...I was just trying to help kids get out of the hood.” (20:10)
• He challenges the media narrative of “paying kids,” explaining it was basic support, not bribery.

8. Entanglement with Shoe Companies

Timestamps: 23:04–31:35

• Piggie recalls being courted by Nike, Adidas, and Sonny Vaccaro. He describes turning down a $1M cash Adidas offer to remain loyal to Nike, a decision he regrets.
• Memorable moment: “This guy [George Raveling] got on his knees and cried...I turned a million dollars down...That was one of the worst decisions I ever made.” (26:16, 28:20)

9. Scapegoated by the NCAA

Timestamps: 37:20–42:26

• Piggie discusses the charges that led to his downfall (wire fraud, etc.), reflecting that “so much of this stuff...is not even an issue anymore.”
• “The NCAA, man, they figured I was getting too big, and...felt like I had too much power.” (37:59)

10. Parallels with Other Scandals

Timestamps: 40:45–42:26

• Matt draws parallels to the Reggie Bush/USC situation, discussing how institutions selectively enforce rules and scapegoat certain figures.

11. On Loyalty and Influence

Timestamps: 43:00–46:18

• Piggie describes the deep relationships with athletes, acting as a father figure and guiding their college and professional choices.
• “My kids was my sons; I treated my kids like I treated my son.” (32:44)

12. The Impact of NIL and the Irony of Change

Timestamps: 46:55–48:28

• Piggie reacts to modern NIL reforms: “Now it’s important that the kids get what they got coming. But in my era...they would have been millionaires before they even touched the campus.” (46:55)
• He notes how LaVar Ball’s business moves paved the way for further change.

13. Advice for Young Athletes and Parents

Timestamps: 51:22–55:21

• Piggie’s guidance: Focus on hard work, skill development, and patience. Warns parents not to chase the first offer, or try to live through their kids.
• “You can’t make a kid have heart. You can’t pay money and say, ‘this kid going to get heart;’ either that kid want it or he don’t want it.” (54:13)

14. On Restitution, Regret, and the Call for Pardon

Timestamps: 56:03–58:38

• Piggie affirms he’s still burdened by restitution—calling it “a life sentence”—and welcomes efforts to secure a pardon given changed laws.
• “If God’s will and a pardon come, we’ll be grateful. I don’t sit up here...God’s in control of my life.” (56:59)

15. Mike Watson’s Perspective (Book Co-Author)

Timestamps: 58:56–60:18

• Mike Watson describes the mutual loyalty and importance of sharing Piggie’s true story, stating, “I wanted to get the story out there to tell the truth.”

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Myron Piggie [14:02]: “When they smashed us by 50, that’s when I had to regroup, man. I got to go out and recruit some players to play against these big boys.”
• Jerry Ferrara [05:27]: “It’s like you kind of went to jail for a lot of things that are now very, very legal. And that’s got to be a frustrating thing...”
• Matt Leinart [12:18]: “The talent only gets you so far, man. It’s like the mental part. It’s the grind. It’s all the other little things...”
• Piggie [20:10]: “It wasn’t about paying kids. It was about just helping kids...I was just trying to help kids to get out of the hood because I used to dominate the hood, and I knew what the hood was.”
• Piggie [26:16]: “If you bring your kids to ABCD camp, you’ll walk out of New Jersey with a million dollars in cash.” (on being offered $1M by Sonny Vaccaro’s camp)
• Piggie [28:43]: “I’m new in the game...I’m up here trying to be loyal...but, I mean, he actually got on his knees crying and begged me.”
• Piggie [37:59]: “The NCAA...figured I was getting too big...I always told my kids, don’t take a piece of bubble gum from nobody.”
• Piggie [46:55]: “Now it’s important that the kids get what they got coming. But in my era...they would have been millionaires, man, before they even touched the campus.”
• Piggie [54:13]: “You can’t pay for a kid for heart...A kid either born with it or want it.”
• Mike Watson [59:54]: "I wanted to get the story out there to tell the truth...to make sure his story was told."

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 13:00 – Myron Piggie joins the show
• 14:02 – Losing to NY Riverside and starting aggressive recruiting
• 17:22 – Differences between old and modern AAU
• 20:10 – The real reasons Piggie supported his players financially
• 23:39 – Piggie recalls being courted by shoe companies and making a fateful choice
• 26:16 – Sonny Vaccaro’s $1M ABCD Camp offer and decision to stay loyal to Nike
• 37:59 – The NCAA targets Piggie; accusations and culture shift
• 46:55 – Piggie’s view on NIL: “I would have been rich.”
• 51:22 – Advice to young athletes and parents in the NIL era
• 56:03 – Discussing the possibility of a formal pardon

Episode Flow and Tone

The episode oscillates between nostalgia, humor, hard truths, and deeply personal reflections. Piggie is candid and blunt, but the tone is one of pride and a touch of heartbreak. Matt and Jerry are empathetic, frequently in awe, and sometimes incredulous at the magnitude of Piggie’s story.

Conclusion

This wide-reaching episode unpacks the complicated legacy of Myron Piggie—a man hailed as a basketball kingmaker and vilified for supporting his players in ways that have since become mainstream. The hosts and their guest make clear that the modern landscape of youth and college sports, with NIL reform and more open compensation, stands squarely on the history Piggie helped write, for better or worse.

For Further Listening or Reading

• Book: The Hustler That Changed the Game by Myron Piggie & Mike Watson
• Kansas City Star feature by Toriano Porter