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Mike Tollin’s upcoming doc, Unraveling George will have its World Premiere at the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival on August 1, with wide distribution and a series of special events planned for early 2026. Tollin directed the doc with Marlon Wayans narrating and producing the doc. Charles Barkey also will exec produce.

The doc features are Ben Affleck, Nike CEO Phil Knight, Jerry West, Ahmad Rashad, Dirk Nowitzki; Hall of Fame coaches including Pat Riley, Doc Rivers, Lefty Driesell, John Calipari, and Jay Wright.

“While George is not widely known by the public,” said Director Mike Tollin, “he has been a bit of a “Zelig” in African-American culture. He was there at Martin Luther King’s side for the monumental “I Have A Dream” speech, and actually was given the original copy of the speech by MLK Jr. He was the person most responsible for Michael Jordan going to...

The 23rd edition of the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival kicks off Friday with a documentary about Civil Rights leader, entrepreneur and Hall of Fame Coach George Raveling.

Directed by Mike Tollin and narrated by Marlon Wayans, who played Raveling in Air (2023), Unraveling George will make its world premiere at 2pm at the Mv Performing Arts Center, kicking off the festival’s Aug. 1-9 run.

“George Raveling is a mentor, a friend and a confidant, and I would not be Michael Jordan without him,” says the 6x NBA champ in the trailer for the doc.

At 21, Jordan forged a bond with Raveling, an assistant on the gold medal-winning 1984 US Olympic basketball team.

“While George is not widely known by the public, he has been a bit of a ‘Zelig in African-American culture,” explained Tollin. “He was there at Martin Luther King’s side for the monumental ‘I Have A Dream’ speech,...

Andscape, the Black-led media platform owned by The Walt Disney Company, has acquired “Hoops, Hopes & Dreams,” a short documentary that premiered at Sundance Film Festival. It also received the best documentary short award at the 2025 Cleveland International Film Festival.

Directed by artist and filmmaker Glenn Kaino (“With Drawn Arms”), the film shares the story of how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and a team of civil rights activists utilized the basketball court to engage young voters, win hearts and shape community outreach strategies. Many of the same methods resonate in contemporary politics and were used in President Obama’s campaigns.

Andscape said the film moves “beyond the familiar Civil Rights narrative of pain and protest” and “shifts focus to the strength found in joy and community — revealing how basketball became a powerful force for unity, empowerment and lasting change.”

The film blends historical footage, animation and interviews with ambassador Andrew Young,...

HBO's Celtics City is steadily rising on Max's streaming chart while Celtics fans watch their games. According to the streaming service, the nine-part sports documentary series is garnering rave reviews from fans worldwide. Executive produced by Bill Simmons, American sports analyst and author, and Connor Schell, Celtics City tells the story of the Boston Celtics, the NBA's most storied franchise. It goes into depth about where it all began, from being one of the original teams in the league to its historic championships and rivalries that shaped its identity. Never-before-seen archives and over eight dozen interviews were conducted to complete what Rotten Tomatoes reviewers are calling "a well-produced history for those who fit its target audience."

While the series began streaming on Max on March 3, 2025, it already has a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score, with Alan French of Sunshine State Cineplex calling it a "fun ride with plenty of serious discussions.

We lost some entertainment giants in 2024.

Among the big-screen legends who died during the past 12 months were Donald Sutherland, James Earl Jones, Maggie Smith, Carl Weathers, Shelley Duvall, Dabney Coleman, Teri Garr, Louis Gossett Jr., Anouk Aimée, Marisa Paredes and Gena Rowlands.

Related: Saying Goodbye: A Video Tribute To The Hollywood And Media Figures We’ve Lost In 2024

The TV world mourns the likes of Bob Newhart, John Amos, Phil Donahue, Linda Lavin, David Soul, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Martin Mull, Shannen Doherty, Michael Cole, Richard Lewis, Richard Simmons, James B. Sikking, Peter Marshall and Joe Flaherty.

Filmmakers and producers who left us include Norman Jewison, Roger Corman, Al Ruddy, Jon Landau, Lynda Obst, Jim Abrahams, Charles Shyer, Irv Wilson and Paolo Taviani.

The industry also paid tribute to such top executives as Charles Dolan, Paula Weinstein, Jamie Kellner, Richard Parsons, Gerald Levin and Paul Fox.

Broadway’s lights were a...

HBO has announced that its original nine-part documentary series Celtics City will debut on Monday, March 3 at 9:00 p.m. Et/Pt on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. New episodes will debut weekly through April 28.

Celtics City was directed by Emmy-winner Lauren Stowell (Taquarius Wair: Unstoppable), executive produced by Bill Simmons and Connor Schell, and co-executive produced and showrun by Gabe Honig (The Captain).

Celtics City chronicles the remarkable saga of the Boston Celtics, the NBA’s winningest and most storied franchise, from its founding as one of the league’s original teams to its triumphant 2024 championship – along the way delving into the fierce rivalries, defining moments, and societal forces that have shaped the organization’s enduring legacy.

Featuring never-before-seen archival footage and over 80 interviews with past and present Boston Celtics legends – from Bob Cousy and Larry Bird to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown – the series...

Artist and filmmaker Glenn Kaino first heard about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s basketball prowess while he was eating dinner.

Kaino is a longtime collaborator of Tommie Smith, the gold medal-winning track athlete who famously raised his fist from the medal podium during the playing of the “Star Spangled Banner” at the 1968 Summer Olympics. Several years ago, Andrew Young, the politician, civil rights leader and confidant of Dr. King, was honored at the annual gala thrown by Smith’s foundation, the Tommie Smith Youth Initiative. “I am sitting in the back, as I always do, and eating my dinner,” remembers Kaino. “And Andrew Young says, ‘Hey, Tommy, Did I ever tell you the story about how Dr. King and I used to play basketball?’ I just dropped my fork.”

Kaino quickly approached Young about turning this story into a film. Young agreed and, says Kaino, “My first phone call...

Hulu is moving forward with a new limited series inspired by the real-life story of convicted killer Alex Murdaugh. It's now been revealed who will be playing Murdaugh in the show, and it's one of the stars of the Terminator franchise who more recently appeared in Christopher Nolan's Oscar-winning film Oppenheimer.

Per Deadline, it's been reported that Jason Clarke will portray Murdaugh in the untitled series. Clarke is one of a handful of actors to play the key role of John Connor, taking on the part in 2015's Terminator Genisys. His other big film roles include Zerk Dark Thirty, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, First Man, Pet Sematary, and The Devil All the Time. More recently, Clarke starred as former L.A. Lakers coach Jerry West in the HBO series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty and played Ranger Robb in last year's smash hit Oppenheimer.

Exclusive: Paradigm Talent Agency on Wednesday announced the launch of The Sports Group, a dedicated, all-encompassing division established to represent a roster of elite athletes and iconic teams.

Led by seasoned agents Nick LoPiccolo and Brett Hansen, The Sports Group will consist of a specialized team of agents across Paradigm’s departments, offering full-service representation.

By harnessing Paradigm’s extensive network and expertise across all the agency’s key disciplines — Talent, Scripted Literary, Unscripted, Book Publishing, Broadcasting, Media Rights, Content Finance, Digital Ventures, Brand Partnerships, and Speaking Engagements — The Sports Group will look to mine best-in-class opportunities for clients. This includes assisting athletes in pivoting from sports into the entertainment industry and working closely with teams to craft compelling storytelling, develop authentic brand partnerships, and uncover new revenue opportunities. Dedicated agents across these departments include Varun Monga, Jake Dexter, Ian Kleinert, Richie Kern, Joshua Finn, Jeff Kolodny, Ashley Hanley, Babacar Diene,...

One of the biggest Netflix films on the slate just got yet another major update. A new report from Deadline reveals that Jason Clarke has joined the cast of Kathryn Bigelow's untitled action thriller at Netflix. Clarke is best known for his roles in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Zero Dark Thirty, and is fresh off a strong appearance in Oppenheimer, and also recently played Jerry West in Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, the sports docudrama which was axed at HBO after two seasons. Details about Clarke's role in the film and the project at large are being kept under wraps, but Deadline reports that it will be set at the White House as a national crisis unfolds. Bigelow most recently teamed up with Anthony Mackie and John Boyega for Detroit, the 2017 true crime thriller that is currently streaming on Prime Video.

A second statue of the late Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, depicted courtside with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, was unveiled today in a private ceremony held outside Crypto.com Arena.

The statue is expected to be available for public viewing starting Saturday.

Kobe and Gianna Bryant died along with seven other people in a Calabasas, California, helicopter crash on Jan. 26, 2020.

The statue shows the pair sitting in courtside seats, as in the photo above that served as inspiration. Angel wings spread out behind the pair, who are encircled by purple and gold flowers. A gold plaque in front of them includes a quote from Kobe, saying, “Gianna is a beast. She’s better than I was at her age. She’s got it. Girls are amazing. I would have five more girls if I could. I’m a girl dad.”

The plaque refers to Kobe as “Most Valuable Girl Dad.

Former Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat head coach turned Heat executive Pat Riley has sent out a lengthy homage to Jerry West, who died today.

The two were involved in one of the most bizarre moments in Lakers history.

In 1981, owner Jerry Buss held a confusing press conference in which he sought to explain he was splitting the coaching role between West and then-assistant Pat Riley.

West wasn’t having it. He took the microphone and anointed Riley, saying that he (West) worked for Riley.

Today, Riley remembered his old friend.

“I loved Jerry West! We loved being Lakers together; it was sacred ground. We grew in life with each other and shared the best and worst of times together. We can only hope there is someone we meet during a crucial time in our lives that will change you in ways you could dream about. Jerry was that person for me.

NBA Hall of Famer Jerry West died on Wednesday morning at the age of 86.

The Los Angeles Clippers, for whom West had been working as a consultant, announced his passing, saying, “the personification of basketball excellence and a friend to all who knew him, passed away peacefully this morning at the age of 86. His wife, Karen, was by his side.”

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West played college ball for the West...

Jerry West, the basketball legend who led the Los Angeles Lakers two a championship as a Hall of Fame player and built the team’s “Showtime”-era dynasty as general manger in the ’80s and whose silhouette inspired the NBA logo, died Wednesday morning, the Los Angeles Clippers announced. He was 86.

West was “the personification of basketball excellence and a friend to all who knew him,” the Clippers said in announcing his death. West’s wife, Karen, was by his side when he died, the team said.

Jerry West, the personification of basketball excellence and a friend to all who knew him, passed away peacefully this morning at the age of 86. His wife, Karen, was by his side. pic.twitter.com/iMwOXmCT2B

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) June 12, 2024

“Jerry West was a basketball genius and a defining figure in our league for more than 60 years,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.

Jerry West, the Los Angeles Lakers legend as both a player and an executive who was later dubbed “the Logo” after he was immortalized on the NBA’s symbol, has died at the age of 86.

The Los Angeles Clippers, for whom West served as a consultant in recent years, announced the NBA legend’s death Wednesday in a statement, “Jerry West, the personification of basketball excellence and a friend to all who knew him, passed away peacefully this morning at the age of 86. His wife, Karen, was by his side.

Think about how competitive the Emmy race is: There are so many excellent shows that deserve attention yet fail to make the nomination cut because they’re either not considered one of the frontrunners or they air on a broadcast network. That’s rough.

Now, imagine being a critically acclaimed drama on a premium network/streaming hybrid in a season where the drama race is pretty wide open. You’ve got big stars, high production values and well-known source material. Shoo-in, right?

Not if you’ve been canceled. (Cue sad trombone sound effect.) That’s the unfortunate fate of “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,” the HBO series executive produced by Adam McKay that continued to earn raves in Season 2 for its heightened, not-quite-accurate-but-entertainingly-close-enough take on the 1980s rise of the “Showtime”-era Los Angeles Lakers. “Winning Time” should be in the awards conversation … but wound up getting canceled in September.

Eddie Merrins, the gentlemanly golf pro at the Bel-Air Country Club who taught the game to the likes of Bing Crosby, Ringo Starr, George C. Scott, Dean Martin, Celine Dion and Jack Nicholson, has died. He was 91.

Merrins died Wednesday after a long illness, according to UCLA, where he coached for 14 years. His son Michael had launched a GoFundMe campaign this year to help the family with expenses.

Nicknamed “The Little Pro,” the 5-foot-7 Mississippi native played on the PGA Tour before serving as Bel-Air’s head pro from 1962 until he was asked to step aside in 2003. However, he remained a beloved fixture at the fabled club as pro emeritus in a jacket/sweater, tie and white driving cap.

Remarkably, Bel Air, which opened in 1925, has had only three head pros: Joe Novak, Merrins and now Dave Podas.

Inducted into the PGA Hall of Fame in 2009, Merrins arranged for Jack Nicklaus to meet Tiger Woods,...

/Film's Ryan Scott is on the ground at Austin Film Festival, and today attended a panel centered on Max Borenstein, co-creator of the recently-canceled HBO series "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty." The series, set in 1979-1980 and adapted from the nonfiction book "Showtime" by Jeff Pearlman, offers a behind-the-scenes look at the Los Angeles NBA team and its management during 1980 (when the team was home to legends like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabar).

While fans may be disappointed about the series being canceled after just two seasons, some of its subjects might feel vindicated. For example, former Lakers coach Jerry West (played by Jason Clarke in "Winning Time") threatened legal action against HBO for his portrayal. The network refused to budge or throw its creators under the bus, citing dramatic license, as "Winning Time" is a dramatization, and providing assurance that the writers had done their homework.

The cancellation of “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” provoked a wide range of responses from fans, ranging from displeasure at the anticlimactic ending to calls for Showtime to revive the series with a more appropriate title. But to Magic Johnson, who was played by Quincy Isaiah in the unauthorized series, the show’s untimely end was a vindication of his public criticisms.

The NBA legend had led a chorus of former Los Angeles Lakers, including his former teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and coach Jerry West, in calling out what they saw as the show’s factual inaccuracies. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Johnson expressed some schadenfreude about the show’s cancellation and reiterated his belief that the story of the 1980s Lakers could not be told without the involvement of the team.

“Well, I never watched it because nobody in this world can tell the Lakers story [like it needed to be told]. The Showtime story?...

While most of us here at JoBlo are pretty bummed that HBO cancelled Winning Time, their terrific depiction of the Lakers Dynasty, it turns out that many of the players depicted on the show are indifferent about its cancellation. Magic Johnson, the main character on the show (and played by the terrific Quincy Isaiah), says he never watched the show. At a recent event (The Elizabeth Taylor Ball to End AIDS), According to THR, Johnson stated, “Well, I never watched it because nobody in this world can tell the Lakers story [like it needed to be told]. The Showtime story? Nobody! Dr. Buss was way ahead of his time as an owner. Our team? Unbelievable! The Laker Girls with Paula Abdul? Unbelievable! Nobody can tell that story.”

Many former players, particularly the outspoken Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, disliked the show. In a THR op-ed, He took issue with how former Lakers head coach Jerry West was portrayed, which...

On the heels of Sept. 17’s season two finale of HBO’s Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, fans were shocked to learn that the series had been canceled. Others, like Magic Johnson, were unfazed.

“Well, I never watched it because nobody in this world can tell the Lakers story [like it needed to be told]. The Showtime story? Nobody! Dr. Buss was way ahead of his time as an owner. Our team? Unbelievable! The Laker girls with Paula Abdul? Unbelievable! Nobody can tell that story,” the NBA great told The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday night when asked about it on the red carpet at the Elizabeth Taylor Ball to End AIDS. “So, none of us watched it because it was fictional. You just can’t tell that story. But, hey, that’s on them.”

Based on Jeff Pearlman’s book, Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers, Winning Time chronicled the...

HBO confirmed that it canceled Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty after two seasons. The news was a surprise, coming only moments after the network aired its second-season finale on Sept. 17. Hecht is the co-creator of the series with Max Borenstein.

My wife burst into tears.

I didn’t have that on my “Winning Time Cancellation” bingo card. I mean, I knew, following nearly a decade of doubts and fears and highs and lows, my HBO series was coming to a jarring conclusion. But then my phone lit up with condolence texts. My mom left a teary voice message. My dad’s email included a link to an article announcing the cancellation, “In case you haven’t heard …” What if I hadn’t? And I had to explain to my step-kids what the word “canceled” means in the TV universe (“No, we don’t have to move”).

But...

For HBO, the Los Angeles Lakers’ decade-long dynasty never really was. The premium cabler said Sunday that Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty was canceled after two seasons — with just one of the team’s five 1980s NBA titles depicted onscreen.

In an exit interview with Vulture, Winning Time EP Kevin Messick the producers never had a time frame for how long the series might run, saying: “I think we always took it season by season. Before the [WGA] strike happened, we had just started to talk about what would’ve happened in Season 3, but all that was curtailed and cut short.”

Season 2 was intended to end with the Lakers’ churning loss to the archrival Boston Celtics in the 1984 NBA Finals. That version was sent to critics as the season began, but the tweaked version that aired featured Lakers owner Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly) and his daughter and...

The cancellation of Winning Time was partly due to a storyline involving Magic Johnson's relationship with his former girlfriend Cookie, which often detracted from the compelling drama and slowed down the pace of the show. The phone conversations between Magic and Cookie, meant to provide exposition, ended up being drawn-out and momentum-busting, taking away time from the primary stories and leaving fans wanting more tension between teammates and management decisions. The show's focus on one relationship outside of the team construct detracted from its main purpose of telling the story of the rise and fall of the Lakers dynasty, ultimately leaving the impression that too much time was spent with characters on the phone rather than on the basketball court.

At the end of Winning Time season 2, HBO Max made the announcement that it would be canceled, and one storyline can be singled out for dooming the show. The...

Well, this is a bit of a shocker.

HBO has confirmed the demise of the 1980s basketball drama Winning Time.

The series wrapped its sophomore run Sunday night and was canceled the same day as the finale.

Series showrunner Max Borenstein alluded to the cancellation with a message on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"Not the ending that we had in mind. But nothing but gratitude and love," he wrote.

Fans commented their thoughts on the shocking decision below the Tweet.

"So sorry Max. I eagerly anticipated each episode and enjoyed the hell out of the series," said one fan, adding:

"Congratulations on making something so creatively successful as Winning Time."

"Everything I anticipated it could be and even better when you told me about it at that lunch way back when," said another fan. 

"Disappointed it couldn't at least get to Riley's promise of a repeat, but everything you did do was great.

It was a twist ending fans of “Winning Time” certainly didn’t appreciate.

While it was promoted as the season finale on social media, the HBO series about the Los Angeles Lakers’ ‘80s dynasty ended its run on Sunday night, with a final episode that detailed the Lakers’ crushing loss to the Boston Celtics in the 1984 NBA Finals and then featured an epilogue focused on all the future successes the show won’t dramatize for series television. Shortly after the finale ended, it was revealed HBO had canceled “Winning Time” after two seasons.

The epilogue, which noted that the Lakers defeated their archrival in 1985 and then again in 1987, was preceded by a scene featuring Dr. Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly) and his daughter, Jeannie Buss (Hadley Robinson), where the elder Buss consoled the youngster that everything would work out despite the finals defeat because, in part, “we fucking own this.

This post contains spoilers for the Season Two finale of HBO’s Winning Time, now streaming on Max.

Winning Time, the HBO drama about the Los Angeles Lakers’ Showtime dynasty in the Eighties, has been accused by members of those teams of rewriting history. With what unexpectedly turned out to be a series, and not season, finale, the show had to rewrite its own past, as well as its future.

Early in the summer, critics were given screeners of all seven episodes of this abbreviated second season. The version of...

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Winning Time Season 2.

Winning Time Season 2 features a jam-packed soundtrack with popular funk and soul music from the early 1980s & more, contributing to the show's quintessential Los Angeles themes. The song choices in Winning Time Season 2 elevate the show's classic tone and appeal, bringing authenticity and fun-loving vibes. Each song in Winning Time Season 2 plays at pivotal moments, enhancing the storytelling and character development of Magic Johnson and the Lakers.

HBO's Winning Time: The Rise of The Lakers Dynasty returns with a jam-packed season 2 full of popular music from the early 1980s and beyond. The bustling soundtrack consists of classic hits and funky deep cuts that span multiple genres and decades and contribute to the fun-loving quintessential LA themes of the celebrated HBO series. While rooted in fact-based sports history, Winning Time's compelling story is elevated by the uptempo and groovy song choices that significantly authenticate...

Winning Time is winning no more.

HBO confirmed that it has canceled the series — full title Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty — after two seasons. The news was a surprise, coming only moments after the network aired the second-season finale Sunday night.

Co-creator Max Borenstein shared his thoughts about the news on X (formerly Twitter): “Not the ending that we had in mind. But nothing but gratitude and love.”

And director Salli Richardson posted on Instagram: “When you give it everything you’ve got, you can have no regrets. I hope you enjoy the last episode of @winningtimehbo I am sure I will do many more hours of TV and hopefully many features in my future, but I can say that at this moment in time I am most proud of the work we did on this masterful show.”

In an interview conducted with THR in late August,...

[This story contains spoilers from the finale of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty season two.]

The name says it all when it comes to the title of episode one of season two of the HBO sports drama Winning Time: “One Ring Don’t Make a Dynasty.”

How the second season started — the Lakers celebrating their win over the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1980 NBA World Championship — isn’t how it ended: In the finale, the Celtics beat out the Lakers in the 1984 NBA Finals. But it’s the moments in between those defining games that give audiences a clearer picture of what the central players in the Lakers franchise were up against on and off the court.

Magic Johnson (Quincy Isaiah) and his relationship with then-on-again-off-again girlfriend Earlitha “Cookie” Kelly (Tamera Tomakili) was a focal point throughout season two, which began with the 6 foot, 9 inch pro baller finding out he’d fathered a child, his first son Andre Johnson,...

After ordering a pilot tentatively titled “Showtime” in 2019, HBO announced in late 2021 that its Los Angeles Lakers-inspired series would be known as “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” and debut in March of the following year. (It dropped the “Showtime” name due to a certain competing premium cable network.) Unfortunately for fans, Sunday’s Season 2 finale also serves as the series finale — HBO has announced that the show has been canceled.

The show, a dramatized retelling of the rise of the 1980s “Showtime” era of the Lakers, was renewed for a second season a month after its debut. The show is based on Jeff Pearlman’s book “Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s.”

Just last month, Pearlman expressed his worry that a Season 3 wouldn’t happen for the series, citing the ongoing Hollywood strikes as a major reason why as actors...

The mention of Michael Jordan in the latest episode of Winning Time suggests that future seasons could explore his NBA legacy and potentially lead to a spin-off series. Winning Time's focus on the Lakers and Celtics rivalry will continue in a potential season 3, covering the Lakers' revenge in the 1985 NBA Finals. It will also likely introduce the development of Michael Jordan's Bulls Dynasty under Phil Jackson. Winning Time season 3 could cover the Lakers' NBA Finals appearances in the late 1980s and early 1990s, leading to a showdown between the Lakers and Bulls in the 1991 NBA Finals. This would mark the transition of power between the two dynasties, setting up a potential spin-off series centered around the Bulls.

HBO's Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty introduces a surprising Michael Jordan tease in season 2 that could encourage radical changes for Winning Time season 3. The mention of the Lakers' acquisition of...

HBO's Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty chronicles the Lakers' significant roster moves that shaped their success during the Showtime era. In Season 2, Episode 6, the show depicts a trade involving star point guard Norm Nixon, which brought big man Swen Nater to the Lakers in 1983. Nater was a prominent player at UCLA and in the Aba became a significant contributor to the Lakers' 1984 NBA Finals run against the Boston Celtics.

HBO's Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty chronicles all the significant roster moves made by the Lakers front office during the team's historic Showtime era. As with every NBA team, the Lakers' offseason acquisitions and mid-season trades greatly affected and shaped the success of the celebrated franchise, with Jerry West (Jason Clarke) taking over as General Manager after the Lakers' 1982 NBA Championship. After a series of alternating seasons in the early 1980s with a couple of...

HBO's Winning Time explores the front office negotiations involving Lakers guard Norm Nixon, who was ultimately traded to reinvigorate the Lakers' offense. The botched 1981 Nixon-Thompson trade was likely due to the drama surrounding Thompson's personal issues and the Lakers' desire to hold onto Nixon for the time being. Nixon's 1983 trade to the Clippers was controversial among Lakers fans. He had a successful run with his new team, leading the NBA in assists in his first season with the Clippers before retiring in 1989.

HBO's Winning Time: The Rise of The Lakers Dynasty highlights some of the behind-the-scenes trade negotiations involving Lakers star guard Norm Nixon. The 1982-83 Los Angeles Lakers went from winning an NBA Title in their previous season under new head coach Pat Riley to facing an embarrassing sweep by the 76ers in the NBA Finals. Nixon was ultimately traded at the end of the season to reinvigorate the Lakers' offense,...

Jerry West's decision to draft James Worthy in 1982 was a significant contribution to the success of the Lakers dynasty in the 1980s and 1990s. Worthy's rookie season with the Lakers showcased his high skill and immediate impact, leading to his selection on the NBA All-Rookie team. Despite a season-ending injury in 1983, Worthy returned the following season and went on to win three NBA titles with the Lakers, solidifying his legacy.

HBO's Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty features NBA legend James Worthy's introduction to the Showtime Lakers. The penultimate episode of Winning Time season 2 follows the rise and fall of the Lakers after their momentous win of the 1982 NBA Finals and embarrassing sweep one year later in the 1983 Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers. The upcoming seventh and final episode of Winning Time season 2 will chronicle the showdown between the Lakers and the Larry Bird-led Boston Celtics in the historic 1984 NBA Finals.

Winning Time chronicles the 1982 Lakers clinching their eighth NBA Championship in their home arena with Magic Johnson named the Finals Mvp. The Lakers later suffered an embarrassing sweep by the 76ers in the 1983 NBA Finals, led by Julius "Dr. J" Erving and Moses Malone. After their 1982 Championship win, Jerry West became the Lakers' General Manager and made significant roster moves, setting up future success.

HBO's Winning Time: The Rise of The Lakers Dynasty covers a lot of ground in its penultimate episode of season 2. Ending on the high note of their second NBA title in a span of three years, the 1982 Lakers celebrate their success under the reinvigorating leadership of head coach Pat Riley (Adrien Brody). This would turn out to be the last time that Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Norm Nixon would all win a championship together despite appearing in an embarrassing sweep against the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1983 NBA Finals.

Who doesn’t love watching a series that tells the true-life (or at least somewhat true-life) stories of real people? That’s what HBO’s hit series “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” provides for NBA fans, Angelenos and TV viewers alike.

“Winning Time” doesn’t feature any of the real-life people that the series depicts, though some of the actors bear striking resemblances to their counterparts.

The show has a massive cast, with Quincy Isaiah (Earvin “Magic” Johnson”), John C. Reilly (Jerry Buss), Adrien Brody (Pat Riley) and others taking center stage as leads. There were also newcomers who stepped onto the court as guest stars for the second season, included Joel Allen as Kurt Rambis, Jay Davis as Byron Scott, Quentin Shropshire as James Worthy, Matthew Barnes as Mitch Kupchak, Darryl Reynolds as Robert Parish, Andrew Stephens as Kevin McHale and Larry C. Fields III as Eddie Jordan.

Vic Weiss's death remains a mystery, as no killer has been identified. The show hints at possible mob involvement but never reveals the culprit. The decision to withhold Weiss's death until the end of the episode creates suspense and launches an investigation to uncover the murderer. The show takes artistic liberties with the true story, which has led to criticism from former Lakers players regarding inaccurate portrayals of key characters like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson.

The Vic Weiss death was the cliffhanger of HBO's Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty third episode, but it doesn't reveal who killed Jerry Tarkanian's associate. The majority of the third episode revolved around the Los Angeles Lakers searching for a new head coach after Jerry West quit. Jerry Buss quickly zeroes in on his favorite candidate, controversial college coach Jerry Tarkanian. It is through the pursuit of the...

Paul Westhead is feeling the pressure of his feud with Magic Johnson in an exclusive sneak peak of Sunday’s new episode of HBO’s “Winning Time.”

In the episode, titled “The Hamburger Hamlet”, a final clash between Johnson (Quincy Isaiah) and the Lakers head coach (played by Jason Segel) causes Lakers owner Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly) to task Jerry West (Jason Clarke) with picking up the pieces. Meanwhile, as Honey (Ari Graynor) attempts a heart-to-heart with Jeanie (Hadley Robninson), Buss faces pushback from the press and his captain. Later, Pat Riley (Adrien Brody) faces his demons and takes control of his team.

The clip sees Westhead pay a visit to Buss’ office, where the former is told that the latter is in a meeting.

“With who?,” Westhead asks, to which Buss’ secretary replies, “I’m not at liberty to say.”

As Westhead turns to leave, another door swings open where Jerry West,...

In Episode 3 of HBO’s hit series “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,” viewers get a snapshot of Larry Bird’s background as a kid from French Lick, Indiana, and Red Auerbach using an NBA system loophole to recruit Bird before the baller graduated college.

Last week, the tensions were up between Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Norm Nixon. In the third episode, Buss laid the issue to rest with a gentle, yet threatening trade offer for Nixon if him and Johnson couldn’t figure it out. Behind the scenes, Pat Riley started chain smoking to deal with the stress of working with Paul Westhead. Jim Chones gets traded off, and Buss offered Johnson a somewhat bogus contract that would pay him $25 million over 25 years.

Here’s what’s fact and fiction from “Winning Time’s” third episode.

Jerry Buss almost blew a circuit because he was so angry...

Winning Time season 2 explores the Lakers' potential interest in trading for David Thompson during the 1980-81 season, which was one of his best NBA seasons. Despite Thompson's impressive stats, coach Paul Westhead vetoed the trade, fearing Thompson's ego would disrupt the team's dynamic. Thompson's career took a downturn after being traded to the Seattle Supersonics, battling drug addiction, suffering a knee injury, and facing legal troubles before turning his life around in retirement.

HBO's Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty introduces former NBA standout David Thompson as a potential trade interest for the 1908-81 Showtime Lakers. Season 2 of the celebrated fictionalized sports series has seen the former NBA Champions face several new challenges both on the court and inside the locker room. This has created behind-the-scenes tensions between teammates such as Magic Johnson (Quincy Isaiah) and Norm Nixon (DeVaugh Nixon) as well as members of the coaching...

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Winning Time season 2.

Season 2 of HBO's Winning Time focuses on the off-the-court drama during the 1980-81 season of the Los Angeles Lakers, including tensions between players and coaching staff. The show takes creative liberties in dramatizing events and presenting speculative information as fact, potentially misrepresenting pivotal moments and characters in the series. The conflicts between Coach Paul Westhead and Magic Johnson stem from their contrasting styles and approaches to the Lakers' offense, with Magic's fame and flashy style causing resentment among some teammates. This partially led to the team's early exit from the 1981 NBA Playoffs.

HBO's Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty season 2 navigates toward the off-the-court drama behind the 1980-81 Los Angeles Lakers. New locker room tensions rise between both players and members of the coaching staff even after the exciting return of Magic Johnson. Magic came back to the lineup following...

Warning: Major Spoilers for Winning Time season 2, episode 2.

Winning Time season 2 highlights the locker room tensions and conflicts that arose when Magic Johnson returned to the Lakers after his knee injury, ultimately contributing to their early exit from the 1981 NBA Playoffs. The show takes several creative liberties by presenting some unconfirmed or speculated information as historical facts, leading to instances of misleading character representations and pivotal moments for the sake of entertainment. The conflict between Coach Paul Westhead and Magic Johnson stemmed from their contrasting styles and approaches to the Lakers' offense, setting the stage for the eventual real-life downfall of the coach and their team.

HBO's Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty season 2 navigates toward the off-the-court drama behind the 1980-81 Los Angeles Lakers. New locker room tensions rise between both players and members of the coaching staff even after the exciting return of Magic Johnson. Magic...

Where to Watch Powered by In episode 2 of Winning Time season 2, Magic Johnson returns to the Lakers after an injury and becomes a source of tension for the team. The discomfort and insecurity among the players and coaches regarding Magic's return is evident in an exclusive clip for the episode. Behind the scenes, there are risky trades being made and conflicts within the Buss family, while Coach Westhead works hard to lead the team. The road to the 1984 NBA Finals continues.

Winning Time: The Rise of The Lakers Dynasty season 2 is in full swing at HBO, and Screen Rant is proud to present an exclusive clip from episode 2. Season 1 depicted how Showtime Lakers owner Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly) helped lead a team of up-and-coming talents, including Magic Johnson (Quincy Isaiah) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Solomon Hughes), to victory at the 1980 NBA Championship. In season 2, he seeks to keep that...

Magic might be taking a dip in an ice bath, but he’s definitely feeling the heat this week on Winning Time.

TVLine has an exclusive sneak peek at this Sunday’s episode (HBO, 9/8c), and in it, Magic is in the ice bath when assistant coach Pat Riley comes in to ask him how he’s recovering from his knee injury. Magic insists he’s at 90 percent, but Riley is more pessimistic, putting it at more like 50 percent. If the head coach finds out he’s still hobbled, Magic will have to sit out games, but “you need that...

Before the LA Lakers had Kobe and Shaq, they had Magic and Kareem. Though the team, in many ways, is remembered and admired by younger generations for the early 2000s era that saw them win three consecutive NBA Championships, the Lakers are equally as known for the Showtime era of the 1970s and 1980s that turned the once struggling franchise into the dynasty it is today. The highs and lows of the Lakers during this time period, particularly from 1980 to 1984, are being explored in the second season of HBO's "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty," which premiered Aug. 6.

Like many other shows that are based on factual events, "Winning Time" has garnered its fair share of pushback from those at the center of the story, namely Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and former Lakers coach and Gm Jerry West. Despite receiving acclaim from critics and audiences for its stellar cast,...

Magic Johnson and the L.A. Lakers were riding high last season on HBO’s basketball drama Winning Time, winning the NBA title in Magic’s first pro season. But as Season 2 opens, they’re learning it’s not so easy staying on top.

Sunday’s premiere opens with a jump ahead to the 1984 NBA Finals, with the Lakers taking on their hated rivals the Boston Celtics. The Lakers manage to win Game 1 in Boston in front of a very hostile crowd; the fans jeer and throw things at them as they run off the court. On the team bus,...

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Warning: Spoilers ahead for Winning Time season 2, episode 1.

Winning Time season 2 delves into the iconic rivalry between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, kicking off with a flashback of the Lakers winning Game 1 of the 1984 NBA Finals against the Celtics. Actual footage from the 1984 NBA Finals reveals that the scene of the Lakers sprinting off the court to escape fan aggression is a fabrication, as many Boston fans had already left the stadium. Celtics President Red Auerbach made a significant trade to acquire both Robert Parish and Kevin McHale during the 1980 NBA Draft, solidifying a prosperous future for the Celtics for the following decade.

Season 2, episode 1 of HBO's Winning Time: The Rise of The Lakers Dynasty picks up right where season 1 left off following the 1980 NBA Championship. Controversial and innovative Lakers owner Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly) returns after shocking the basketball world and shaking things...

Note: This interview was conducted before the SAG-AFTRA strike.

After ending its first season with the Lakers’ climactic victory at the 1980 NBA championships, HBO’s “Winning Time” is back for more, with cocreator Max Borenstein teasing that the team is in for more challenges in Season 2.

“Coming out of the first season, the Lakers are now no longer the underdogs. They won, they had a Cinderella story and now they’re the champions. The moment you’ve had that kind of success, repeating it is the hardest thing in the world,” Borenstein told TheWrap. “Everything comes up against them this year: injuries, internal struggles, egos… and knowing that ultimately they have to face their greatest rival and somehow find a way to come together this time, not just to win a championship but to take down the reigning dynasty of the Celtics. So the stakes are higher this year in that way.

Throughout the Season Two premiere of HBO’s basketball drama Winning Time, various characters, from Lakers assistant coach Pat Riley (Adrien Brody) to Boston Celtics general manager Red Auerbach (Michael Chiklis) talk about how difficult it is to repeat as champions. The real Riley would eventually refer to this as “the disease of more,” where players who were willing to sacrifice for the good of the team in pursuit of a title now want more playing time, more of a role in the offense, and/or more money.

In Winning Time,...