Magic Johnson Sounds Off on HBO’s Winning Time

HBO and executive producer Adam McKay have given the Lakers the Hollywood treatment in Winning Team, but according to one legendary player, it’s missing the magic.

Basketball legend Magic Johnson made it clear he isn’t a fan of the series, which is about the team’s iconic Showtime era and based on the Jeff Pearlman’s 2014 book Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers.

“First of all, you can’t do a story about the Lakers without the Lakers,” he told Variety in an April 5 interview. “The real Lakers. You gotta have the guys.”

Magic acknowledged that the cast features talented actors, including Quincy Isaiah, John C. Reilly and Adrien Brody, as himself and the coaches, but stated, “I don’t care who you get.”

The star said it wasn’t just about the players but the cheerleaders and other individuals who contributed to the games, giving a special shoutout to Lakers cheerleader Paula Abdul. “All the latest music, and all the latest dances,” he remembered. “You can’t duplicate that. We entertain you. Show you moves that you’ve only seen in the nightclub.”