HBO's Winning Time: The Rise of The Lakers Dynasty is hitting the streamer just in time for March Madness. The ten-episode series debuts on March 6 and follows the professional and personal lives of the legendary Los Angeles Lakers team from the 1980s— on and off the court. The series is stacked with stars like John C. Reilly, Adrien Brody and Jason Segal, but how much do they look like thier real-life countperparts? See below to find out.
See Also: Simeon Daise Talks ‘All American,' ‘Snowfall' and ‘Cheaper by the Dozen'
Jerry West (Jason Clarke) was the general manager of the Lakers, which earned him the title of executive of the year twice thanks to his diligent work. During the 1960s, he made a name for himself as a shooting guard for the Lakers, No. 44, where he went on to earn his nickname "The Logo" due to the NBA using his silhouette to make the iconic logo.
Kareem Abdul Jabbar (Solomon Hughes) was an iconic seven-foot player for the Laker. He played the team's center as No. 33 and became all-time leading scorer, accumulating 38,387 throughout his career.
Michael Cooper (Delante Desouza), No. 21, was known for his iconic knee-high socks and defensive position. Deemed by Larry Bird as the toughest defender he ever faced, the guard and forward was invincible.
Paul Westhead (Jason Segel) was an extraordinary coach that took over with no prior experience at the NBA level after Jack McKinney left mid-season due to a biking crash. Despite his lack of experience, he was still able to lead his team all the way to the title before he was replaced by his assistant Pat Riley.
Norm Nixon (DeVaughn Nixon), No. 10, played for the Lakers as a point guard until 1983 when he was traded to the San Diego Clippers. A fun fact about his character in the show is that his son DeVaughn is portraying him!
Pat Riley (Adrien Brody) was Westhead’s replacement and a good one, bringing the Lakers to the championships three times. Riley even played for the Lakers himself during the 70s as No. 12, a powerful shooting guard.
See Also: All the Best New Movies and TV Shows Streaming in March
Claire Rothman (Gaby Hoffmann) is a powerful woman that helped pioneer the women’s movement in the venue management world. She was the head of the Forum, and thanks to her charisma and persuasive sales technique, she was the reason Jerry Buss bought the team.
Magic Johnson (Quincy Isaiah), No. 32, is one of the most well-known basketball players in NBA history and is one of the top 50 greatest players of all time and the winner of the league's most valuable player award. He always has a go-getter attitude on and off the court, so winning became a lifestyle to Magic.
Larry Bird (Sean Patrick Small) is known as the only player to ever rival Johnson As No. 33 on the Boston Celtics, he was a forward that could play almost every position, making him addicting to watch on the court. Some of the most iconic basketball games featured Bird and Johnson.
Chick Hearn (Spencer Garrett), better known as the voice of the Lakers, was the iconic announcer for the team for four decades. His colorful “chickisms” made every broadcast even more entertaining to watch; he truly had a charming presence.
Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly) is one of the Lakers' greatest owners. Leading them to the finals half of the seasons he was in charge of, he was able to turn his players into celebrities. Under his reign, he made basketball into a sought-after luxury that A-listers and fans alike would flock to see these legends play. He was a businessman through and through.
Jessie Buss (Sally Field) might not be a household name associated with the Lakers, but she was important to the team. As Jerry’s mother, she taught her son what it meant to be a good businessman and later became his trusted advisor and bookkeeper after Jerry bought the Lakers.
View this post on Instagram
Jeanie Buss (Hadley Robinson) was Jerry’s daughter and was like a younger sister to all the players on the team during the 80s. However, as a result of her hard work and determination, she catapulted to become her father’s successor and took over as president of the Lakers. Seen now as a mother-like figure by her players, the Lakers' spirit flows through her veins.
Photography by: Warrick Page/HBO; Courtesy HBO Max; Getty Images/Focus on Sport; Getty Images/ Gorge Gojkovich; Getty Images/Mike Powell; Getty Images/Stephanie Dunn; Getty Images/Bettmann
