There has seemingly been no limit to those who have criticized HBO’s series Winning Time—which chronicles the rise of the “Showtime” Lakers dynasty of the 1980s—for taking artistic liberties in portraying its storylines and characters. Among the detractors? Basketball Hall of Famer and the logo himself, Jerry West.
In an interview with former Los Angeles Times sports editor Bill Dwyre, West lamented the portrayal of himself and his former teammates and coaches in the show, saying they series “made us all look like cartoon characters.” He also stated a willingness to take legal action against HBO if the network does not take corrective action.
“They belittled something good,” West said. “If I have to, I will take this all the way to the Supreme Court.”
West’s comments come after his lawyer, Louis R. Miller, sent a letter to HBO expressing his displeasure, saying that the portrayal of the West character on the show was inaccurate and “violated the law.”
“To mitigate the harm you have caused, we request the issuance of a retraction of Winning Time’s false depiction of Jerry West no later than two weeks from the date of this letter,” Miller wrote. “You also owe Mr. West an apology for your hurtful misrepresentation of his work and legacy, plus damages for the harm you caused to his well-earned and stellar reputation.”
HBO issued a statement in response to West’s threat, stressing that the show is based in facts has not been presented as a documentary.
“Winning Time is not a documentary and has not been presented as such,” the statement read. “However, the series and its depictions are based on extensive factual research and reliable sourcing, and HBO stands resolutely behind our talented creators and cast who have brought a dramatization of this epic chapter in basketball history to the screen.”
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