What Is Magic Johnson’S Perspective On Winning Time?

Magic Johnson, the NBA legend, has expressed his disinterest in HBO’s “Winning Time”, a scripted drama about the Showtime era of the Lakers. In an interview for Variety, Johnson criticized the show for portraying West as an out-of-control, intoxicated rage-aholic and bearing no resemblance to the real man. The series documents Johnson’s rise with the Showtime Lakers but Johnson is not interested in watching it.

In promotion for his new docuseries, Johnson briefly discussed “Winning Time” and became the latest person to criticize it for its inaccuracies. Johnson said neither HBO nor the show’s creative executives asked him about the show. The moment Magic changes his mind about rejecting the Lakers’ offer is when Buss accidentally leaves him alone in the Forum.

On September 17, HBO’s Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty season 2 finale was canceled. Director Salli Richardson-Whitfield discussed depicting the good and bad of the Laker’s love story with honesty. Johnson also mentioned that the Lakers need to be included in the story.

Despite the cancellation of “Winning Time”, Johnson believes that the show’s success is due to its portrayal of the Lakers. He also mentioned that the series was hard to duplicate and that “You can’t duplicate Showtime”. Johnson doesn’t feel bad about “Winning Time” being cancelled by HBO because it didn’t include the players it documented.

Who does Magic Johnson think is the greatest player of all time?

NBA legend Magic Johnson once praised Michael Jordan as the greatest player in NBA history. The 1980s NBA was known for the rivalry between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, with memorable moments in their matchups. However, it wasn’t until the 1990s that Jordan’s true prime began, winning six NBA Championships by completing two separate three-peats. Jordan’s first ring came after defeating Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers.

In 1993, Magic Johnson hailed Jordan as the greatest player, despite Johnson’s absence from the NBA. During the 1993 NBA Finals between the Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns, Magic was an analyst, and he had nothing but praise for his rival.

Did Kareem and Jerry Buss not get along?

The author describes their relationship with Dr. Buss, who was not very close due to his interest in his friends and lifestyle. Despite this, they appreciated Dr. Buss’ generosity and fairness towards the players. They also mentioned the Lakers Camp Countdown 8 events, including bullying Boston, Artest’s potential signing, the White House visit, and gains from Kobe’s pain. The author also mentioned Cuban’s reaction to the Lakers’ defeat, stating that it was not even close.

Do Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson get along?

In 1992, Jordan and Johnson were selected to be members of the Dream Team, which led to the formation of a friendship between them. They formed a close bond during the period of preparation for the Olympics and have remained in close contact ever since. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, two former Los Angeles Lakers players who achieved legendary status in the National Basketball Association (NBA), initially held negative sentiments towards each other during the early stages of their professional careers. The nature of their friendship has been shaped by a number of different factors.

Why did Winning Time get cancelled?

HBO’s “Succession” has ended due to a dip in ratings during its second season and the actors’ inability to promote the show amid ongoing strikes by SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America. Executive producer Kevin Messick, who also produced “Succession”, said HBO had suggested an alternate ending in January for an early exit. The Season 2 finale, originally supposed to show Magic Johnson (Quincy Isaiah) defeating the Boston Celtics, instead featured a backup ending featuring owner Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly) talking to his daughter, Jeanie Buss (Hadley Robinson), about taking over the team and a montage of real-life characters.

Who didn’t like Winning Time?

The Showtime Lakers initially disliked Winning Time, despite the absence of such a fuss when Jeff Pearlman’s book was published in 2014. Jerry West publicly demonized the series, demanding an apology and retraction for “baseless and malicious assault” on his name. West’s attorney argued that the portrayal of West in Winning Time was fiction pretending to be fact, causing distress to him and his family. Kareem was also upset, which was typical of the series’s popularity.

Why wasn t Winning Time called Showtime?

“Winning Time” is a series based on Jeff Pearlman’s 2014 book “Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s”. Initially named “Showtime”, HBO decided to name the project after a rival premium-cable channel, Paramount+ with Showtime, saved the series and renamed it “Showtime”. The show would feature more of the team’s actual “winning” times, as Pearlman stated that a Lakers show cannot end in 1984. The author argues that the saga is not complete and needs to continue for the actors, crew, and storyline.

Are Michael Cooper and Magic Johnson friends?

The speaker is pleased to announce that their Showtime colleague and close associate, Michael Cooper, has been elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

What did the real people think of Winning Time?

ESPN reports that Jerry West’s lawyers have written a letter to HBO, claiming that the show portrays him as an out-of-control, intoxicated rage-aholic who bears no resemblance to the real man. They also argue that HBO’s disclaimer that the series was a dramatization does not remove the network from liability. The letter also alleges that the show denigrates West, implying that he tried to “sabotage” Magic Johnson’s selection to the Lakers team in 1979.

Will Winning Time get picked up?

HBO has decided that the Lakers Dynasty drama’s season-two finale will be the series finale, despite the show’s initial decision to end before season three. The network had given producers a heads-up that ratings were not showing the momentum needed for a renewal, and fans were warned about cancellation on social media. However, producers were able to film an alternative final scene for tonight’s episode, which did not completely end with the Lakers losing the 1984 NBA Finals.

The original ending of season two ended with Magic Johnson sitting on the floor of the Lakers locker-room showers, absorbing the team’s heartbreaking defeat at the hands of the Boston Celtics. However, the new ending, filmed in January, features team owner Jerry Buss and daughter Jeanie walking alone on the court at the Forum, discussing his daughter taking control of the team and their accomplishments. The new ending was filmed before the show was canceled and before the start of the WGA and SAG strikes.

Winning Time executive producer Kevin Messick discussed the advance heads-up from HBO, how the show addressed season-one criticisms, and whether there’s any possibility of another platform picking up a potential season three.

Who was Magic Johnson favorite player?

Earvin Johnson Jr. was born in Lansing, Michigan, to General Motors assembly worker Earvin Sr. and school janitor Christine. His parents had a strong work ethic, with Johnson helping his father on the garbage route and being teased by neighborhood children. Johnson was raised in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Johnson began to love basketball as a young man, idolizing players like Bill Russell and Earl Monroe. He learned the finer points about the game from his father, who played high school basketball in Mississippi. His mother, originally from North Carolina, also played basketball as a child and watched her brothers play the game.

By eighth grade, Johnson had become a dominant junior high player, scoring 48 points in a game. He looked forward to playing at Sexton High School, a school with a successful history and only five blocks from his home. However, his plans changed when he learned that he would be bused to predominantly white Everett High School instead of Sexton, which was predominantly black.

Johnson’s sister Pearl and brother Larry had been bused to Everett the previous year, but they had not had a pleasant experience. There were incidents of racism, with rocks being thrown at buses carrying black students and white parents refusing to send their children to school. Larry was kicked off the basketball team after a confrontation during practice, prompting him to beg his brother not to play.

Johnson joined the basketball team but became angry after several days when his new teammates ignored him during practice. He nearly got into a fight with another player before head coach George Fox intervened. Eventually, Johnson accepted his situation and the small group of black students looked to him as their leader.

In his autobiography, My Life, Johnson reflects on how his time at Everett changed him, stating that it taught him how to understand white people, communicate, and deal with them.

What did the real people think of winning time?

ESPN reports that Jerry West’s lawyers have written a letter to HBO, claiming that the show portrays him as an out-of-control, intoxicated rage-aholic who bears no resemblance to the real man. They also argue that HBO’s disclaimer that the series was a dramatization does not remove the network from liability. The letter also alleges that the show denigrates West, implying that he tried to “sabotage” Magic Johnson’s selection to the Lakers team in 1979.