#3 Adrien Brody as Pat Riley
One announcement from the series that has fans from both the basketball and cinematic worlds is the reveal that hollywood actor Adrien Brody will be playing legendary Los Angeles Lakers coach Pat Riley. There's no denying that the series was going to need a big performance when it came to portraying the role of Pat Riley as the Lakers head coach throughout the 1980s. After starting his career out with the New York Knicks, Riley was brought into coach the Lakers and was known for his passion and competitiveness while roaming the sidelines.
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Riley played a huge role as the head coach of the Lakers during the legendary rivalry between Boston and Los Angeles in the NBA and it should be sensational to see his character develop on screen. Brody will bring a long resume of acting success to the series, as he's been one of the top actors in the cinematic industry. He's best known for his role in "The Pianist" which saw Brody win the Academy Award for Best Actor at the age of 29. Brody became the youngest actor to win in that category.
#2 Quincy Isaiah as Magic Johnson
One of the biggest roles in the series will be that of Ervin "Magic" Johnson who will be played by Quincy Isaiah. There's no denying that Isaiah is going to have a massive part to play when it comes to the success of HBO's Los Angeles Lakers' series. Basketball fans around the world are going to be tuned in to see how this series showcases the famous NBA personality that was Magic Johnson. This is a huge opportunity for Isaiah, who will get plenty of attention for what is surely going to be one of his most notable roles in his young career.
Magic Johnson was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the first overall selection in the 1979 NBA Draft. He was known for being a charismatic personality on and off the court and was the reason for the birth of the "Showtime" Lakers. One of the most interesting developments will be how the series goes about shedding some light on the rivalry between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers, especially when it comes to Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.
#1 John C Reilly as Jerry Buss
One of the major attention grabbing roles that was announced for the "Winning Time" documentary was hollywood actor John C. Reilly taking on the role of Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss. The teaser reveals the development of the entire Lakers dynasty, right from the beginning, which featured a brief snippet of Buss buying the Lakers franchise in 1979. Buss transformed the Lakers into one of the most famous organizations in the sport of basketball. Turning the team into not just a legendary dynasty, but also providing fans with one of the most entertaining experiences in the world. The "Showtime" Lakers stood out with their play on the court but also with their presentation during every Los Angeles Lakers home game.
When it comes to the role of Jerry Buss, John C. Reilly is going to get the attention of fans in a hurry as he's been known for his illustrious career on film. It was even rumored at one point that Will Ferrell was going to take on the role of Jerry Buss, but Reilly eventually replaced Ferrell. From the trailer alone, it looks as if Reilly should quickly become the star of the show with his energy and comedic relief. When it comes to his resume, Reilly has impressive experience with some extremely successful films, but he is best known for his roles in "Stepbrothers," and "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby."
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