Norm Nixon, former Lakers guard, openly criticized HBO’s Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty for the way it portrayed him and other players. Nixon, one of the show’s main characters, was played by his own son in real life.
The series, which ran for two seasons, mixes real-life events with creative liberties. But Nixon made it clear those changes didn’t sit well with him. As a guest on Byron Scott’s show, he shared his honest thoughts.
Alterations that bothered Nixon
According to The Sports Rush, Nixon pointed out specific details that felt inaccurate. He said: “You’ve got to remember I’m from Macon, Georgia… not New York City, not Chicago. So how could I call someone ‘country’? And then they had me playing basketball in a fur coat in the summer. I never owned a fur coat!”
He also criticized the way his character treated women, saying it went completely against his values. “I was raised by my mother, grandmother, and great-aunt… I didn’t call women b***** and h*** and all that. That wasn’t in my makeup. I have too much respect… None of that was me.”*
Nixon argued that the people who enjoyed the show were those who didn’t truly know him. “My son played me, and I told him, ‘Look man, go get your check, go feed yourself, but don’t make me look too stupid,’” Nixon recalled.
He admitted it was frustrating when people approached him about his on-screen actions. “Outside of Los Angeles, people thought it was a documentary. They enjoyed it,” but he avoided answering such questions.
Nixon is not alone. The series sensationalized the Lakers’ lifestyle, portraying Jerry West as an angry man and misrepresenting Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson in ways they did not agree with.
With these statements, Nixon emphasized that the show is an adaptation, not reality, and its creative changes distorted the public image of players like him.
