HBO released a trailer for ‘Winning Time’, an HBO Max series chronicling how Magic Johnson transformed the Los Angeles Lakers and its owner, Dr. Jerry Buss.
Battles are waged every day between Herculean athletes, but it takes genius and vision to imagine a true dynasty in basketball.
That’s how Dr. Jerry Buss, who had a PhD in chemistry in a previous life, became the businessman who saw potential in Earvin “Magic” Johnson and brought Showtime to Los Angeles.
In “Winning Time”, visionary director Adam McKay chronicles the moment and the players who took the Lakers from struggling to unstoppable. From 1980 to 1989, the Lakers would go on to appear in eight playoff series, winning five NBA Championships. McKay captures the moment of glamour, excess and triumph as the Lakers were revitalized by the arrival of Magic and Dr. Buss.
Adam McKay directs upcoming HBO series chronicling the Showtime era of the Lakers
Absent of the 1980s glitz, the Lakers underwent their own revitalization recently with the arrival of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and another NBA Championship to add to their collection. Still, the Showtime era lives on in Lakers infamy, and McKay’s reimagining of the moment includes some of Hollywood’s biggest hitters.
Dr. Jerry Buss is portrayed by John C. Reilly, Jessie Buss is portrayed by Sally Field, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is portryed by Dr. Solomon Hughes, Jerry West is portrayed by Jason Clarke, and Quincy Jones makes his major debut as Magic Johnson. Jason Segel, Adrian Brody and Gaby Hoffman also portray individuals in the Lakers inner circle.
The trailer has reminded Lakers fans to reflect on how spectacular Johnson truly was as the only NBA Rookie to ever become a Finals MVP. To illustrate this point, no rookie NFL quarterback has ever won a Super Bowl, but that’s essentially what Magic did in his premier NBA season.
The series is based on the book by sports writer Jeff Pearlman titled “Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s.”
The cast, director, material and medium all adds up for a winning combination, with the series set to be released in March 2022.