The five-time NBA champ was initially involved in the series' development, but dropped out.
He added, “The Showtime story?
Dr. [Jerry] Buss was way ahead of his time as an owner.
Magic Johnson; Quincy Isaiah on ‘Winning Time’.Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images; Warrick Page/HBO
The Laker Girls withPaula Abdul?
Nobody can tell that story.”
“None of us watched it because it was fictional,” he said.
“You just can’t tell that story.
But, hey, that’s on them.”
“How are you gonna do it?
you might’t do it,” he said.
And all the guys said the same thing.
Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar], everybody.
you’re free to’t do it."
“We know that a bunch of them are not happy,” said.
Series co-creator Jim Hecht recalled ina recentTHRguest columnthat the production company Overbrook contacted Johnson about the project.
“So, I dove right in and spent the next six months developing a take.”
Alas, Hecht said Johnson “backed out” after the first day of pitching the show.
Hernewlywed husband, Jay Mohr, also had a cameo in season 2.
