Magic Johnson Continues to Slam Dunk On HBO’s ‘Winning Time’

HBO’s Lakers showtime era show ‘Winning Time‘ just got renewed for a second season.

For the most part everyone is really happy about the news, the show is very entertaining. Magic Johnson is not a fan.

“You can’t do a story about the Lakers without the Lakers,” Magic Johnson says. “The real Lakers. You gotta have the guys.”

In a new interview for this week’s cover story of Variety, Magic spoke about “Winning Time,” HBO’s scripted drama about the Showtime era of the Lakers. Johnson said he refuses to watch the series, and he’s baffled that neither HBO nor the creative executives,  which include executive producer Adam McKay,  sought participation from him or his teammates.

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Inside Variety’s cover story with @MagicJohnson:

Magic Johnson’s Next Shot: The NBA Legend on Changing Lakers History, HIV Activism and His Revealing Apple Docuseries https://t.co/lVQYxhc9o4 pic.twitter.com/U16twygmE2

— Variety (@Variety) April 5, 2022

 

Johnson believes that it’s impossible to tell the story without the involvement of the people who lived it.

“There’s no way to duplicate Showtime. I don’t care who you get. So let’s go through it like this,” Johnson told Variety. “Showtime started on the court. Just unbelievable. We changed basketball! Fast-breaking entertainment: Every time out, Paula Abdul and them beautiful Laker Girls came out on that floor. First time ever. Dancing girls! And they turnt it out. All the latest music, and all the latest dances.”

When asked if he would support a scripted project about the Showtime era if the former Lakers were properly consulted, Johnson is unsure.

“It just depends. It has to be authentic and real, and it has to be right. The way we played the game, the way we worked together as a unit… It was a show from the owner all the way down. How are you gonna do it? You can’t do it. So I don’t know what this stuff [‘Winning Time’] is, I haven’t watched it, I’m not gonna watch it. And all the guys said the same thing. Kareem, everybody. You can’t do it.”

Magic clearly hasn’t seen the show. If he did he too would be excited about a second season.

The show is also a fictionalized version of the the Lakers showtime era. It’s just for entertainment purposes only, and a man with a nickname like Magic should understand that.

Haters gonna hate.

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