Basketball legend Jerry West is demanding a retraction and an apology for what he called "a baseless and malicious assault" on his character in the HBO series "Winning Time."
West's lawyers made the demand to network executives and "Winning Time" producer Adam McKay in a letter sent Tuesday evening and obtained by various media outlets. They are asking for a retraction no later than two weeks from the receipt of the letter, claiming that the show falsely and cruelly portrays the former Los Angeles Lakers executive "as an out-of-control, intoxicated rage-aholic," that bears no resemblance to the real West, according to ESPN.
"The portrayal of NBA icon and L.A. Lakers legend Jerry West in 'Winning Time' is fiction pretending to be fact — a deliberately false characterization that has caused great distress to Jerry and his family," said Skip Miller, a partner at the Miller Barondess LLP law firm in Los Angeles and attorney for West. "Contrary to the baseless portrayal in the HBO series, Jerry had nothing but love for and harmony with the Lakers organization, and in particular owner Dr. Jerry Buss, during an era in which he assembled one of the greatest teams in NBA history."
Miller went on to describe West, who was the general manager for the Lakers during the 1980s and who helped construct a team that won five league championships in that decade, as an "integral part of the Lakers' and NBA's success."
"It is a travesty that HBO has knowingly demeaned him for shock value and the pursuit of ratings," Miller continued. "As an act of common decency, HBO and the producers owe Jerry a public apology and at the very least should retract their baseless and defamatory portrayal of him."
The letter includes statements from former players such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as well as current Charlotte Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak who deny that West ever acted in a negative way as portrayed in the series.
"Instead of exploring his issues with compassion as a way to better understand the man, they turn him into a Wile E. Coyote cartoon to be laughed at," Abdul-Jabbar said in a statement. "He never broke golf clubs, he didn't throw his trophy through the window. Sure, those actions make dramatic moments, but they reek of facile exploitation of the man rather than exploration of character."
In addition to a retraction, West's legal team said their client is also due an apology and damages from the network and show producers, according to The Hill.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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