Jason Clarke has been cast as Los Angeles Lakers legend Jerry West on HBO’s “Showtime” pilot from Adam McKay.
The prospective hour-long series is a true story based on Jeff Pearlman’s non-fiction book “Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s.”
Here is the logline: “A fast-break series chronicling the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers, one of sports’ most revered and dominant dynasties–a team that defined its era, both on and off the court.”
And here’s how West is described for the purposes of HBO‘s pilot: “The cantankerous tortured genius of basketball, Jerry West ought to be the perfect man to build the Lakers into a dynasty–if only he can get past his own worst enemy: Jerry West.”
West is the man depicted in the iconic NBA logo. A point guard during his playing days, all with the Lakers (he was drafted when the team was still the Minneapolis Lakers), West won one NBA Championship. Later, as the general manager — and thus architect — of the Lakers, West cast those squads to six rings.
Between those two jobs, West coached the Lakers for three seasons. West now serves as a consultant for the Los Angeles Clippers, which share the Staples Center with the Lakers.
McKay, an executive producer through his yet-to-be-named new company, is currently casting the pilot, which will go into production in September. McKay will also direct the pilot. Kevin Messick, who works at McKay’s new production company, is also an executive producer.
Max Borenstein is writer and executive producer. Jim Hecht is co-writer of story and an executive producer. Jason Shuman is an executive producer.
Clarke, who will star alongside Helen Mirren in upcoming HBO miniseries “Catherine The Great,” is represented by WME, Robert Stein Management, attorney Carlos Goodman and Narrative PR.