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HBO’s Winning Time Star Jimel Atkins Discusses Hit Series
The hit basketball television drama takes a deep dive on the NBAs’ Showtime Los Angeles Lakers
One of the biggest breakout television hits thus far in 2022 has been HBO’s Winning Time. Based on Jeff Pearlman’s book Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s, the show covers the genesis of the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers famed “Showtime” style of playing basketball. The production required the assembly of quite a cast of actors to portray the storied team depicted in Season 1, and one of the fan favorites was Jimel Atkins, who made many do a double take with his spot on performance as former star player Jamaal “Silk” Wilkes.
The recently concluded first season of Winning Time consisted of 10 episodes covering the 1979–1980 season of the Lakers. This was a monumental year, not only because long-time owner Dr. Jerry Buss (played by John C. Reilly) assumed possession of the team, it also represented the rookie season of guard Magic Johnson (Played by Quincy Isaiah), the future Hall-of-Famer and face of the franchise. Despite all of the big personalities, transition and many individual personal issues, the team spent the season in the hunt for a championship.
