Jerry West says he is willing to take his lawsuit against HBO all the way to the United States Supreme Court if he has to. The network had not responded to West’s legal letter demanding a retraction until Wednesday when it issued a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
“HBO has a long history of producing compelling content drawn from actual facts and events that are fictionalized in part for dramatic purposes,” it reads. “Winning Time is not a documentary and has not been presented as such. However, the series and its depictions are based on extensive factual research and reliable sourcing, and HBO stands resolutely behind our talented creators and cast who have brought a dramatization of this epic chapter in basketball history to the screen.”
Plenty of former Lakers and others associated with the NBA have been critical of the series. Kareem Abdul-Jabar recently wrote that the show was boring and his concern was not so much about what Solomon Hughes’s portrayal of him would do to his reputation. He was worried about what it may mean for his charity.
Oscar-nominated actor Jason Clarke’s portrayal of West in Winning Time seems to have struck a particular nerve. In the letter to HBO and producer Adam McKay, West’s attorney says the show is making people think The Logo was an “out-of-control, intoxicated rage-aholic.” Plenty in the media have echoed that sentiment.