Based on the book “Showtime” by Jeff Pearlman, “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” chronicles the team’s Showtime Era, in which the Lakers won five NBA championships and elevated the sport’s entertainment values. Kicking off with Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly) purchasing the team in 1979, the series charts a timeline of milestone events, rivalries, and behind-the-scenes drama.
Along with Reilly, “Winning Time” is anchored by newcomers Quincy Isaiah and Solomon Hughes as star players Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. A slew of famous faces – Adrien Brody, Sally Field and Jason Segel among them – fill out an enormous ensemble cast.
To help you place all the names and faces, TheWrap presents a cast and character guide to “Winning Game.” Episodes air each Sunday on HBO and HBO Max at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
John C. Reilly as Jerry Buss
Though there are many Jerrys in “Winning Time,” Buss is the one who ushered in the Lakers’ Showtime Era when he bought the team in 1979. A chemist and businessman who grew up poor during the Great Depression, Dr. Buss’ larger-than-life personality is brought to the screen by John C. Reilly, Adam McKay’s collaborator on “Talladega Nights” and “Step Brothers.” In “Winning Time,” Buss is hell-bent on turning the Lakers into a team that wins championships with style, as well as skill, fitting of the city it calls home.
Quincy Isaiah as Earvin “Magic” Johnson
Much like the Michigan student athlete turned NBA Hall of Famer he plays, Quincy Isaiah is a newcomer and the series’ best discovery. As one of the stars of the Lakers’ Showtime Era, Magic Johnson’s rise to the top is a major storyline in “Winning Time.” After being selected as the Lakers’ first draft pick in 1979, he’s thrust into the national spotlight. Faced with new rivals on and off the court, he wields his magnetic personality to navigate his way through the sport and its politics.
Jason Clarke as Jerry West
Jason Clarke, recently seen in “The Devil All The Time” and “Pet Sematary,” plays Lakers legend Jerry West. A former star point guard, West is introduced in the show as head coach, a role he held for three years before eventually becoming the team’s general manager. West clashes with Buss over the drafting of Johnson and grapples with bouts of anger and depression. He can’t live with the game, and he can’t live without it.
Solomon Hughes as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Newcomer Solomon Hughes plays superstar center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who the Lakers traded for in 1975. In the show, Abdul-Jabbar is depicted as an intimidating figure, even to authority figures like West. He’s also a man of many talents, appearing in the 1980 film “Airplane!” which “Winning Time” recreates with precision.
Michael O’Keefe as Jack Kent Cooke
Business executive Jack Kent Cooke sold the Lakers to Jerry Buss in 1979. During his time as owner, he changed the Lakers’ jersey colors to purple and gold and moved the team to the Forum. He was also known to be verbally abusive, especially to his former employee Claire Rothman. In “Winning Time,” he’s portrayed by Michael O’Keefe of “Caddyshack” fame.
Gaby Hoffman as Claire Rothman
“C’mon C’mon,” “Transparent” and “Girls” alum Gaby Hoffman plays Claire Rothman, the general manager of the Forum, where the Lakers played until 1999. The first and only female manager of a major sports arena, she’s able to endure the misogyny rampant in her workplace by leaning on her grit and intelligence.
DeVaughn Nixon as Norm Nixon
Lakers point guard Norm Nixon is at the top of his game until Magic Johnson enters the scene. The suave point guard is portrayed by his real-life son, DeVaughn Nixon, whose acting career stretches all the way back to when he played Whitney Houston’s son in “The Bodyguard.” He beat out his brother Norm Nixon Jr. for the role.
Hadley Robinson as Jeanie Buss
Jeanie Buss, the current controlling owner and president of the Lakers, is a young woman when her father Jerry buys the team. She strives to prove herself as a businesswoman to Claire and the men who dominate the world of professional basketball. She’s played by Hadley Robinson, whose credits include “Little Women” and “I’m Thinking of Endings Things.”
Tamera Tomakili as Earleatha “Cookie” Johnson
It’s a long and winding road from college sweethearts to spouses for Cookie and Magic Johnson. When Johnson signs with the Lakers, he tries to persuade Cookie to move to Los Angeles with him. However, the sharp-witted Cookie suffers no fools, and is wary of how fame and fortune will change the Earvin she fell in love with. She’s played by Tamera Tomakili, who you might recognize from “Fruitvale Station” and “Run the World.”
Sally Field as Jessie Buss
Two-time Academy Award-winner Sally Field plays Jessie Buss, Jerry’s mother and slightly shady accountant. Adept at cleaning up her son’s messes (and driving him up a wall), she shares his love of money, fun and the finer things in life.
Michael Chiklis as Red Auerbach
Fresh off of acting in Adam McKay’s “Don’t Look Up,” Michael Chiklis appears in “Winning Time” as Red Auerbach, coach of the Boston Celtics. The de facto leader of the NBA, he’s not impressed when Jerry Buss buys the team and tries to win him over. Their rivalry produces some of the show’s sharpest insults and largest clouds of cigar smoke.
Adrien Brody as Pat Riley
Trading his “Succession” puffer jacket for a patterned suit, Adrien Brody plays Pat Riley, head coach of the Lakers for the majority of the Showtime Era. A former Laker who played alongside Jerry West, Riley’s swagger and showmanship led the Lakers to win multiple NBA championships and increase their celebrity status.
Tracy Letts as Jack McKinney
When Jerry West resigns as head coach prior to the 1979-80 season, Jack McKinney becomes his unlikely replacement. The former assistant coach quickly quells doubts with his innovative offense-first strategy. Unfortunately, his time with the Lakers is cut short due to a tragic bike accident. McKinney is played by Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning actor and playright Tracy Letts, whose recent work includes “Deepwater,” “Ghostbuster: Afterlife,” and “Lady Bird.”
Jason Segel as Paul Westhead
After Coach Jack McKinney is fired, his assistant coach Paul Westhead takes over, leading the Lakers to victory in their first NBA championship finals in almost a decade. In the series, he struggles to find his footing when he begins filling in for McKinney, leading him to hire Pat Riley as his assistant coach. His clash with Magic Johnson resulted in him being fired and replaced three seasons into his coaching stint. The former professor and Shakespeare enthusiast is played by Jason Segel of “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “How I Met Your Mother” fame.
Spencer Garrett as Chick Hearn
Spencer Garrett (right), recently seen in “Dopesick,” “Bosch,” and “Dirty John” plays Chick Hearn, Lakers commentator of 41 years. The veteran sportscaster is the best in the game. He’s tough on Pat Riley (Adrien Brody, left), who in real life served as his color commentator for two years before becoming assistant coach of the Lakers under Paul Westhead.
Brett Cullen as Bill Sharman
Bill Sharman, a former NBA player, Lakers head coach, general manager, and president is played by Brett Cullen, whose credits include “Narcos” and “The Blacklist.” During the Showtime era, he served as the team’s General Manager until 1982, when he became president.
Delante Desouza as Michael Cooper
Michael Cooper, known for his positive demeanor and unmatched defensive skills, is played by newcomer Delante Desouza. Cooper joined the Lakers in 1978, just before the Showtime era began, and remained on the team until 1990. He would return to the Lakers as part of Jerry West’s managerial team, and then Magic Johnson’s coaching team.
Wood Harris as Spencer Haywood
Wood Harris – notable for his roles in “The Wire,” “Ant-Man,” “Empire,” and “Space Jam: A New Legacy” – plays Lakers power forward Spencer Haywood. He joins the Lakers in a swap with Utah Jazz during the 1978-1979 off-season. Once Paul Westhead takes over as coach, he significantly decreases Haywood’s playing time, causing tension to arise between them.
Carina Conti as Paula Abdul
Carina Conti of “The Last Tycoon” takes on the role of Paula Abdul, the pop star and television personality who became head choreographer of the Laker Girls at 20 years old. Her hip-hop influenced moves brought fame to the dance squad, and were integral to the razzle-dazzle showmanship of the Showtime era.
Sean Patrick Small as Larry Bird
Sean Patrick Small, seen recently in “Similar Odds,” plays one half of the Showtime Era’s most famous rivalry, Johnson vs. Bird. Before he became the star of the Boston Celtics and Johnson joined the Lakers, they famously faced off at the 1979 NCAA championships, with Johnson’s Michigan State team winning the championship. Going into their first NBA showdown, Bird brushes off Johnson’s warm greeting with a stone-cold glare.
