Although the HBO series “Winning Time,” a fictionalized account of the dynastic Los Angeles Lakers of the 1980s, has been a hit in the ratings, it has been criticized by many for its historical inaccuracies.
Some believe it has made some members of those Lakers, such as front office wizard Jerry West, into mere caricatures of their real-life counterparts. One of those critics has been Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the superstar center of those Showtime teams.
It looks like he has been motivated and inspired to start a podcast that will offer fans a factual account of the era from those who made it happen.
Via Substack:
“After watching Legacy: The True Story of the Lakers, my friend and former teammate Norm Nixon and I decided to have a video chat about our Showtime days,” wrote Abdul-Jabbar. “We discuss Magic Johnson, Pat Riley, our other teammates and a lot more. Talking with Norm about our playing strategies and our amazing teammates really was a delight for both of us.
“This is the first in a new series of videochats with my former teammates and coaches, including Jerry West, Michael Cooper, Magic Johnson, Byron Scott, Jamaal Wilkes, James Worthy, Kurt Rambis, Bob McAdoo, and AC Green. You will not want to miss what they have to say about their struggles and triumphs as players and afterward.
“This first conversation is available to all subscribers, but the subsequent interviews will be available only to paid subscribers. So, get your skyhook on and subscribe right now.”
Those Showtime teams grew into arguably the greatest the NBA has ever seen, and Abdul-Jabbar’s new podcast will surely be a treat for Millennials and members of Gen Z who were too young to have seen them do their thing.
