“Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,” a 10-episode drama about the 1980s heyday of the iconic Los Angeles team, premieres at 9 p.m. Sunday on HBO.
The series also will be available to stream on HBO Max.
Why did producers opt to document the 1980s-era Lakers? “This is a moment where sports became entertainment,” co-creator, executive producer and showrunner Max Bornstein said last month during the CTAM Winter Press Tour.
Unlike the much-heralded “The Last Dance,” the ESPN documentary about Michael Jordan, “Winning Time” employs established actors and newcomers to tell the Lakers’ story.
The first episode details the attempt by Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly) to complete his purchase of the team from Jack Kent Cooke, and then-coach Jerry West’s objection to the Lakers using the first choice in the 1979 NBA draft on Magic Johnson.
It also includes a re-creation of the scene from the classic 1980 film comedy “Airplane!” where a boy visiting the cockpit realizes the co-pilot is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
One of the series’ other executive producers, Oscar winner Adam McKay, directed the opening episode. His films include “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” and “The Big Short.”
Among the other cast members, Quincy Isaiah plays Magic Johnson, DeVaughn Nixon portrays his father Norm Nixon and Solomon Hughes appears as Abdul-Jabbar.
Other notables – Jason Clarke takes on the role of Jerry West, while Adrien Brody plays Pat Riley and Sally Field, Buss’ mother.
The series is based on the 2014 book, “Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s” by Jeff Pearlman.
Finding actors to portray Johnson and Abdul-Jabbar “was the single hardest casting challenge I’ve ever encountered,” McKay said.
“It was crazy, and to this day, I can’t believe Quincy and Dr. Hughes came our way,” McKay said. “These guys can play ball and they’re really talented actors.”
Isaiah’s only previous film or television credit was the 2018 short film, “Corporate Coffee.”
The 6-foot-11-inch Hughes had never acted before. He played basketball for Cal from 1998-02, averaging 6.1 points and 3.5 rebounds in 121 games. The alumnus of Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance later played for the Harlem Globetrotters.
Hughes has a doctorate in higher education research and policy studies from the University of Georgia. He has taught at Duke and Stanford.
– City News Service