'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Quincy Isaiah is the breakout star of the hit new show Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty where he plays Magic Johnson, the basketball icon who won five NBA championships with the LA Lakers in the 1980s. The 10-episode series is a fictional portrayal of basketball legend Johnson in his 20s.
Quincy Isaiah's first foray into acting
Quincy Isaiah, who made his debut with Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, has shot to fame for portraying Magic Johnson. Isaiah did not start out in life as an actor.
He initially majored in business while playing football at Kalamazoo College, but acting always held a special place in his heart. So, during his junior year, he decided to shift his major to theater and eventually went all-in with his passion and moved to Los Angeles two months after graduating in 2017.
His breakthrough has not been an easy one. The actor initially struggled to find work before finally managing to land the role of Johnson in 2019. His experience as an athlete helped him land the gig, although he had to undergo some grueling training sessions with coach Rick Fox, who himself was one of the Lakers.
Fox put Isaiah to a few testing challenges, but the newbie astounded the basketball coach with his stamina, thus passing the test.
What is the new Quincy Isaiah series about?
The HBO series, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty by Jeff Pearlman, is an exploration of the basketball team Lakers’ transformation into a dominant franchise that won five NBA titles between 1980 and 1988 which helped them turn into a brand.
Quincy Isaiah plays the role of 'Magic' Johnson in the series. Johnson was the on-court maestro who emerged as one of the best basketball players ever. Isaiah plays a young Johnson back when the latter was an eager rookie brimming with confidence, before all the accolades and fame he garnered.
Winning Time premiered on March 6, 2022 on the HBO Max streaming platform. The series will air the rest of the episodes every Sunday.
