Michael Chiklis to Star in HBO’s New LA Lakers Show

Greek-American actor Michael Chiklis is set to star in HBO’s new series about the LA Lakers dynasty of the 1980s. He will be playing Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach, a big name in the world of basketball.

The series, written by Max Borenstein, is still untitled. It is based on a book titled “Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s.”

Author Jeff Pearlman writes about what many consider one of the team’s most legendary decades on the court. The series, like the book, will follow the main players’ professional and personal lives.

The Cast So Far

The HBO drama already has a stellar cast attached. Sally Field, Adrien Brody, and John C. Reilly have all signed on to play major characters in the show. As for the basketball legends portrayed on the show, Quincy Isaiah will play Magic Johnson, and Solomon Hughes will star as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Chiklis’ character, Auerbach, coached the Boston Celtics for many years, and led them to nine NBA championships. He also ended up being the general manager of the team. Under his management, the Celtics won seven more championships.

The rise of the LA Lakers represented the first real big threat to the Celtics on the court. Auerbach’s intelligence and competitiveness as a coach is showcased and tested as he sees the Celtics’ reign threatened.

LA Lakers Show Creator

Adam McKay is the creator and executive producer of the untitled Lakers series. He has previously produced critically acclaimed series such as “Succession” and “Dead to Me.” The producer and creator also has Oscar-nominated movies such as “Vice” under his belt. McKay will also work as a director on this series.

This untitled LA Lakers show isn’t Chiklis’ first collaboration with the famed producer and director. He recently wrapped up McKay’s Netflix film “Don’t Look Up.” In it, Chiklis starred along a cast of powerhouse actors including Meryl Streep, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Jennifer Lawrence.

Though Chiklis’ most famous role to date is undoubtedly his lead in “The Shield,” he has proven to be very versatile as an actor. After his Golden Globe and Emmy win for the long-running FX series, he has played in horror and crime shows including “American Horror Story” and “Gotham,” as well as a Halloween comedy by Adam Sandler.

Chiklis recently also voiced the character of Zeus in the animated series “DuckTales,” Most recently, he can be seen on Paramount+ new series “Coyote.”