Magic Johnson is the second least interesting part of Winning Time

Pajiba

"And that’s only because we’ve spent so little time with a then-sullen Kareem Abdul-Jabbar," says Dustin Rowles of the first two episodes of the HBO Showtime Lakers series. "The best I can tell from the first two episodes is that Magic Johnson was drafted over the objections of coach Jerry West (who wanted Sidney Moncrief); he got his ass handed to him by then point guard Norm Nixon in a pick-up game; West didn’t think Magic should play point guard; and he bullied the boyfriend of his ex-girlfriend (and love of his life), Cookie Keely, while also sleeping with other women in his car and pouted over his mother’s disapproval. It’s not exactly a flattering depiction (despite the strong performance from Quincy Isaiah), but I understand why it’s necessary to build Johnson’s backstory; he’ll be the central character in the rise of the Lakers’ dynasty."