While the Los Angeles Lakers are nowhere to be found on national television, HBO Max and Adam McKay are supplying their own brand of the beloved franchise each Sunday with their show, “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.” Based on the novel by Jeff Pearlman, the series follows multiple characters through one Lakers season in 1979-80 — the beginning of the Showtime Lakers era.
The artistic freedoms producers have taken with the show has resulted in pursued legal efforts from a very offended Jerry West, although it has already been given the green light for a second season. Most of the NBA world can’t seem to get enough of the raunchy, fast-paced historical telling, Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal included.
While McKay and company have not released any official details on the second season, there have been a few ideas floating around the internet. The most obvious choice, other than making a second season around Magic Johnson and Jerry Buss, would be to follow Pearlman’s second novel.
Pearlman follows the 2000s-era Lakers in his book, “Three Ring Circus, Kobe, Shaq, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty.” After briefly criticizing the show’s portrayal of West, O’Neal shared with Reuter’s Rory Carroll that he would be on board with a Kobe-Shaq season:
“Let’s do it,” he said.
“I’m the type where you can say or do whatever you want, no problem. I understand the entertainment world,” added O’Neal, who won an Academy Award last month as a producer on “The Queen of Basketball,” a short subject documentary on the life of pioneering star Lusia Harris.
Season one of “Winning Time” will come to a close Sunday, May 8, but fans are sure to expect news about next season soon, given the Lakers’ current long summer break.
Utah Jazz’s Quin Snyder not likely to join Lakers
Lakers fans can decidedly remove one name from the running for head coach, but not on account of the franchise. It was recently reported that although the Lakers have expressed interest in Utah Jazz’s Quin Snyder for the position, Los Angeles is not viewed as an attractive landing spot for him.
The team has begun interviewing candidates, using a committee involving Phil Jackson to do so, so it’s likely a decision will not come any time soon. Other names that have been circulating include Mark Jackson, Darvin Ham and Phil Handy.
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