Showtime

In Showtime, former Sports Illustrated senior writer Jeff Pearlman delivers the complete, no-holds-barred story of the remarkable individuals who came together to form professional basketball's most legendary dynasty. This bestseller presents an all-encompassing account of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers, one of the most revered and dominant dynasties in professional sports. Now an HBO Original Series, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, Pearlman's book traces the rise of a team that personified the flamboyance and excess of the decade. Beginning with the arrival of Earvin "Magic" Johnson as the number-one overall pick of the 1979 draft, the Lakers unleashed their famed "Showtime" run-and-gun style on a league unprepared for their speed and ferocity. They quickly became the most captivating show in sports and arguably, in all-around American entertainment. The Los Angeles Lakers' roster in the 1980s overflowed with exciting, all-star-calibre players, including centre Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. They were led by the incomparable Pat Riley, known for his slicked-back hair, his Armani suits, and his arrogant strut. Hollywood's biggest celebrities lined the court, and gorgeous women flocked to the arena. Best of all, the team was a winner. Between 1980 and 1991, the Lakers played in an unmatched nine NBA championship series, capturing five of them. Bestselling sportswriter Jeff Pearlman draws from almost 300 interviews to take the first full measure of the Lakers' epic Showtime era. This dazzling account features indelible characters, vicious rivalries, and jaw-dropping, behind-the-scenes stories of the players' decadent Hollywood lifestyles. From the remarkable rise of the Showtime era to its tragic end—marked by Magic Johnson's 1991 announcement that he had contracted HIV—Showtime offers a gripping narrative of sports, celebrity, and 1980s-style excess.