HBO Renews 1980s Lakers Series ‘Winning Time’ For Second Season

HBO has renewed the series on the 1980s Showtime Lakers, “Winning Time,” for a second season, as relayed by Rick Porter of the Hollywood Reporter.

The series stars John C. Reilly as former Lakers owner Jerry Buss, Quincy Isaiah as Magic Johnson and Hadley Robinson as current owner Jeannie Buss. It has received some criticism around the NBA for its harsh portrayal of former Lakers star and executive Jerry West, played by Jason Clarke.

“It’s been a thrill to bring Winning Time to life with [executive producers] Adam McKay, Max Borenstein, our phenomenal producing team, and this incredible cast,” Francesca Orsi, executive VP of HBO Programming, said in a statement. “This series not only tells the riveting story of the Lakers’ rise, but is also a look back at a transformative era in basketball, celebrity, and the city of Los Angeles. We can’t wait to see how this team will tell the next chapter of this dynasty.”

The series is based on Jeff Pearlman’s excellent book entitled, Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s. So far, the series has focused solely on the 1979-80 season.

Pearlman wrote a follow-up on the Lakers of Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson (Three-Ring Circus), which HBO also optioned. So that could eventually become part of the series, should it last that long, Porter speculated.

“The idea of carrying forward a saga about this dynasty that is the kings of the city, being able to tell that story of the city and that era and moving into another era would be incredible,” Borentstein said on the TV’s Top 5 podcast. “I hope we have opportunity to keep doing it.”

The dynasty continues. #WinningTime will return for a second season. Never been prouder of a show and the group of us who left it all out on the floor to make it. The truest and fullest labor of love. And thanks to @hbo, now we get to do it all again! ❤️?? pic.twitter.com/T9VlQ3ixS6

— Max Borenstein (@MAXBORENSTEIN) April 7, 2022