Sports drama series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty has been in the news for a lot of reasons since it first premiered last year. From its concept to its controversial themes, the show has been a talking point from time to time. The first season premiered on March 6, 2022, and the second season premiered on August 6, 2023. With the finale of season two out now on HBO, fans have been curious about the show’s future. Here’s what we know about it.
Winning Time: Will there be a season 3?
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty has been canceled by HBO. The series that revolves around the personal and professional lives of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team from the 1980s, will not be getting a season three. The streaming platform confirmed to Variety that the season two finale which aired on September 17, 2023, was also the series finale. The first season of Winning Time revolved around the 1979 to 1980 NBA season.
Meanwhile, the second season focused on the 1980 to 1984 season. With the cancelation, the show had an abrupt ending and did not get to showcase the full journey of the basketball team. Jeff Pearlman’s 2014 book Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s has been a source material for the sports show and the author took to his Twitter last month to ask people to watch the show and make it a success.
He wrote, “Wanna add: There’s a lot of ‘author begs viewers to watch show.’ Fair. But I’m NOT begging for me. I’m begging because this saga is not complete, and needs to continue. For the actors, the crew, the storyline. Plus, no fucking way can a Lakers show end in 1984.” The showrunner Max Borenstein previously told Variety, “Every writer everywhere, but especially in Hollywood, writes in hope” but they don’t have the power to renew it.
Allegations against Winning Time
“We know what that arc is and we would love to have an opportunity to tell it. But it’s all about leaving it on the floor each season,” he concluded. Meanwhile, Magic Johnson told the portal that he was not interested in watching the series because HBO did not ask him for any consultation on portraying his life story. Jerry West’s statement called it a “deliberately false characterization” and a “baseless portrayal” when the first season premiered.
