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Magic Johnsonsays he has no intention of watching HBO’s new Los Angeles Lakers seriesWinning Time.
The former Lakers star, 62,toldEntertainment Tonighton Monday that he “won’t watch” the series, arguing that “it’s hard to duplicate” the team’s 1980s Showtime era on the screen without the input from those who were part of the storied group.
He later added, “Now, if the Lakers or myself or some Lakers have something to do with it, then I would, but it’s just — you can’t copy that, it’s just too much.”
HBO did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Johnson’s remarks.
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Featuring stars like Quincy Isaiah,John C. Reillyand Jason Clarke,Winning Timetells the story of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers — which featured Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and famed head coach Pat Riley — and the dynasty that followed.
The 10-episode sports drama also details Johnson’s rise to fame, from his humble beginnings in Michigan to his league debut as the Lakers' 1980 first overall draft pick.
Isaiah, 26,told PEOPLEon Sunday that it was surreal portraying such an iconic player for a beloved team.
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“It’s one of the moments that you tell yourself that you can do, but until you actually do it, it’s not real. It still doesn’t feel real,” he told PEOPLE. “I feel like ‘role of a lifetime’ is used loosely, but I really feel that way. I love basketball, I’m playing an icon, it’s a period piece, on HBO, Adam McKay project, all these great actors. It has all the things. There’s no other way around it for me.”
“My thing was, I just got to show up and work hard,” he added. “I showed up with a can-do attitude. I think they saw that, and hopefully, my acting was good enough, and that’s what got me the part.”
Last week, Isaiah opened up toETabout the incredible story told throughWinning Timeat the show’s premiere.
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“You get to meet him [Johnson] as a 20-year-old, seeing him being pulled from Michigan and being thrust into this spotlight that’s in Los Angeles, California, and playing for the NBA,” the actor said at the time. “We meet him at a point in his life where he isn’t this icon yet, and you get to see a little bit of where that comes from and how he grows into that.”
“But also, he’s just a kid, you know?” he continued. “And you see the mistakes and the mountains and valleys of becoming this well-renowned figure. It’s great.”
Winning Timeairs Sundays at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.
source: people.com
