Former Los Angeles Lakers executive and legend Jerry West demands an apology after the portrayal of his character on the HBO series. He even wanted a retraction. He called the depiction ‘a baseless and malicious assault’. ‘Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty’ is an HBO Max series that is also available on Disney+ Hotstar. The series airs on Sunday nights. It is based on author Jeff Pearlman’s book “Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s.”

West’s lawyers allege that “Winning Time falsely and cruelly portrays Mr. West as an out-of-control, intoxicated rage-alcoholic,” saying that “bears no resemblance to the real man.” They ask 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,” said Skip Miller, a partner at the Miller Barondess LLP law firm in Los Angeles and attorney for West.

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According to Jerry West, it was actually the opposite of what the HBO series shows. West had nothing but love for and harmony with the Lakers organization, and in particular with the owner Dr. Jerry Buss, during an era in which he assembled one of the greatest teams in NBA history. This was Jerry’s take.

NBA fans fuming over the mistreatment of Jerry West

The portrayal of West infuriated some of the fans. He played 14 years for the Lakers winning an NBA championship and then was also an executive of the team when Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were on the roster.

Jerry West and his lawyers also said in the letter sent to HBO, “Jerry West was an integral part of the Lakers and NBA’s success. It is a travesty that HBO has knowingly demeaned him for shock value and the pursuit of ratings. As an act of common decency, HBO and the producers owe Jerry a public apology and at the very least should retract their baseless and defamatory portrayal of him.”

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HBO has not responded yet. Only time will tell how they would answer the accusation of Jerry West. As far as the fans and ratings are concerned the show has spiked and is getting a good response.