When the Los Angeles Lakers were featured in the HBO’s “Winning Time” show not all the former players of the team were happy. Magic Johnson was the first to slam the portrayal of the purple and gold.
He was followed by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who trashed the show, saying it is not worth watching. Another Lakers legend Jerry West has a similar sentiment. ESPN reporter Ramona Shelburne described West’s feelings through his lawyer Skip Miller who said that “Winning Time” ‘falsely and cruelly portrays Mr. West as an out-of-control, intoxicated rage-aholic.’ The Logo Man’s camp is asking for a retraction no later than two weeks from the receipt of the letter.
“The portrayal of NBA icon and LA Lakers legend Jerry West in ‘Winning Time’ is fiction pretending to be fact — a deliberately false characterization that has caused great distress to Jerry and his family,” Miller continued.
“Contrary to the baseless portrayal in the HBO series, Jerry had nothing but love for and harmony with the Lakers organization, and in particular owner Dr. Jerry Buss, during an era in which he assembled one of the greatest teams in NBA history.”
