HBO is set to team with Adam McKay for a scripted drama based on author Jeff Pearlman’s Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s. Max Borenstein is set to write the script for the upcoming project, which has been picked up with a pilot order from HBO.
Showtime marks the first project for McKay after splitting with longtime producing partner Will Ferrell. McKay is set to direct the pilot and is already exploring casting options for actors to take on the roles of former NBA favorites Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and head coach Pat Riley. Mckay stated,
“Jeff Pearlman’s book and Max Borenstein’s script of the story of the Showtime Lakers really knocked me over. Sexism, racism, tragedy, redemption, no-look passes and a giant cultural shift in America… I can’t wait to start filming,”
As an avid fan of the NBA, the concept of the Showtime Lakers on the small screen will surely become one of my most anticipated shows upon release.