Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (2022–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - The Swan - full transcript
Businessman Jerry Buss bets it all on the lackluster Los Angeles Lakers--and rookie phenom Earvin "Magic" Johnson.
- (phone ringing)
- Receptionist: Doctor's office.
Yes, let me transfer
you... One moment, please.
(video game beeping)
Brooke Shields (on TV): American
life at this point where,
if they're intelligent,
if they're fairly strong
and rather sure of themselves,
they represent a threat...
- He still in there?
- Nurse: Room 12.
There's a photographer in front.
They want to let
him out the back.
Just to make sure
nobody sees him.
- Okay.
- Okay. Thanks.
(muffled chatter)
(uneasy music)
- (inaudible)
- (footsteps approaching)
Man: Earvin?
Um... when you're ready?
Right.
Right on.
♪ ♪
(inaudible)
(starts engine)
(man crying)
♪ ♪
(muffled crying)
(sirens wailing)
("My Favorite Mutiny"
by The Coup playing
♪ ♪
♪ There it is ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Check it out ♪
♪ Move, if you got the nerve ♪
♪ Lash out for your
just desserts ♪
♪ It's not just the worth ♪
♪ Some of y'all heads
up in the clouds ♪
♪ I'ma bring y'all
back to earth ♪
♪ It's Black back to burn ♪
♪ Bullshit y'all talkin' 'bout ♪
♪ Out ya mouth ♪
♪ I'm not concerned ♪
♪ 'Cause y'all got to learn ♪
♪ It's y'all turn
like Detroit Red ♪
♪ When his head
had a Ultra Perm ♪
♪ The long walk'll
burn your bare heels ♪
♪ So throw on your boots ♪
♪ The game camouflaged
like army suits ♪
♪ But I can see it more clear ♪
♪ 'Cause I came with
The Coup in here ♪
♪ Ring the alarm and
form the troops ♪
♪ Send 'em out into the
world Go to war in a fluke ♪
♪ Eye to eye with the
enemy you sworn to shoot ♪
♪ Now comin' at ya
neck sick o' hearin' ♪
♪ Something wrong with me ♪
♪ Motherfucker somethin'
wrong with you ♪
♪ When the chief just way
too smart to question ♪
♪ The enemy the brothers
of a dark complexion ♪
♪ The governments of the
world is shark infested ♪
♪ They heavy on weaponry
like Charlton Heston ♪
♪ Man, yeah, it gets low here ♪
♪ Real low Know what
I'm talkin' 'bout? ♪
(vocalizing)
♪ Yeah, yo, it gets low... ♪
♪ ♪
- (static)
- (siren wailing)
(TV clicks off)
God damn. Basketball.
I mean, look at it.
It's like great sex.
It's always moving.
It's rhythmic. It's
up close and personal.
There's no pads or
helmets for protection.
It's just you
and these other guys out there,
trying to get the
ball into the hoop.
It's a beautiful thing,
and every single one of
those guys plays that game
with their own unique
pizazz and style.
It's sexy. Come on.
I mean, if there's two
things in this world
that make me believe in God,
it's sex and basketball.
You know?
Hon?
- Honey?
- (groans) I'm sleeping.
I know. I was just saying
about sex and basketball and...
Yeah, I have a test
in the morning.
- You do?
- Mm-hmm.
Her loss.
That makes you
the first to know.
I'm about to buy a team.
(funky music)
Dynamite.
The National
Basketball Association.
The NBA.
You've heard of it, right?
Of course, you have. Who hasn't?
I'll tell you who. Them.
(soft moaning)
Young people, hip people,
fashionable people.
Pardon the expression,
but the kind of people
you might wanna have
a little fun with.
Oh hey, Dr. Buss. No
breakfast this morning?
Nah, not today.
- I'm going to buy the Lakers.
- Ah, no kiddin'?
Tell 'em a win the
championship one of these days.
- I'll do what I can, Fred.
- Fred: You got it, brother.
Welcome to sunny Los Angeles.
Great for tans
shit for fans.
(starts engine)
The fact that Fred
there even knew
someone who won a championship
makes him special.
♪ ♪
So why is the NBA so unpopular!?
Yeah, the press says we
have an image problem.
But to most people,
the biggest problem is
the image is too dark.
- Let's go get 'em.
- Come on, let's do this.
But I didn't make a fortune
bettin' on the sure thing.
I made it buyin' low
and sellin' high.
♪ ♪
So, Buss came up
to 67.5 million.
But he's hoping you'll agree
to half of it in property
instead of cash.
- Is that the Chrysler building?
- Yeah.
The guy picks buildings like
a toddler at a toy store.
- Whatever's shiniest.
- Just get it done,
so I can give the cunt
her fucking money.
Oh, I'm not the cunt
he's talking about.
That's his soon-to-be ex-wife.
- Attendance numbers?
- Down a little.
- Oh shit.
- We have to disclose that.
No, I don't have to disclose
these if I've never seen them.
Mrs. Rothman.
(quietly): Undo a couple of
buttons, maybe he won't notice.
Come on, get in there.
Come on! Jerry,
just take the night.
Alright? We'll come
back tomorrow, you know?
J-just think this through.
We are trading in an empire
of-of real estate for what?
- I know.
- Twelve tall guys in tennis shoes?
Frank Mariani, my
business partner
and personal wet blanket.
He thinks this whole
thing is a bad idea.
- Wait, wait, wait... bad?
- (ding)
- (laughing)
- Try catastrophic.
The entire league is on
the verge of bankruptcy.
There may not be an
NBA in five years.
- 5:00 already?
- He's wearing Levi's.
- Who?
- Buss. He's worth, like, 80 million,
and he's wearing jeans
with frayed hems.
- What are you doing?
- I'm trying to keep my job.
Put them away. I'll go.
- Are you sure?
- Yes.
(cart rattling)
(sighs) What?
(rattling)
Hello, gentlemen.
Oh jeez, I'll take a G&T, hon.
Get it yourself, Frank.
- Claire Rothman?
- Pleasure.
Frank, you are lookin' at
the gal who was the first one
to put a rock-and-roll
act in a sports arena.
Wow. (Laughs) Yeah.
I'm a fan. Pleasure.
Mrs. Rothman's deal is with me.
Maybe I can throw her in.
(laughs) Jack!
Jack Cooke: Mr. Buss.
It's actually Dr. Buss,
but who's measuring?
So, we got a deal?
One concern. Liquidity.
You're asking to put up half
the total price in land swaps,
but you'll still owe
the rest in cash.
We'll have it.
We don't have it.
Shut up, Frank.
- We have a deal.
- Jerry Buss: Fantastic.
We don't have it, by the way,
but we'll get it. We'll get it.
♪ ♪
So for those of you
keepin' score at home,
I just promised to
pay $67.5 million
for the whole shebang.
So you take half of
that in real estate,
you subtract the $18 million
I already gave them
as a down payment,
and you're left
with $15.75 million
due in cash, in 30 days.
Now, I'm a guy with some bucks,
but it's in assets and holdings.
So, right now, I've got about
120 grand in the bank.
So, yeah.
I gotta move some things around.
♪ ♪
I hate him.
Uh, no, I hate him!
Jeanie Buss: You
signed the deal?
Jerry Buss: I still gotta
shuffle some cash around,
but, yeah. We're
pretty much there.
Dad, I want to work for you.
Jerry Buss: Jeanie, come on.
What?
I'm having a hard time
imagining Jerry West
and Bill Sharman taking
orders from Miss Palisades.
- Which I'm very proud of.
- Just tell them to take it from Miss Buss.
And I'm not asking to
give orders.
I'm asking to work.
I'm gonna tell your mother,
"She's leaving school
- "to work for me."
- Just give me a chance!
Alright, let's have
an interview. So
summer draft.
- You know what the summer draft is.
- Yes!
- I hope so. So...
- (laughs)
(laughs) Right. So, if the
Lakers win the coin toss,
- you'll get top pick.
- Right, so who do I pick?
It's easy. Two best guys just played
each other for the college title.
(crowd cheering) -Dick Enberg:
Oh my, folks. The most awaited
match-up in college
basketball history.
Two teams, led by two men.
From Indiana State, Larry Bird,
the hard-working,
disciplined,
all-American boy.
♪ ♪
Versus Earvin Johnson Jr.,
the show-stopping,
naturally gifted
physical specimen
out of Michigan State.
From those two guys,
who do I choose?
Trick question. Bird's already
going to the Boston Celtics.
You're right, and I'm
glad they took him.
All those owners that
were watching that game,
they were blinded by the white.
I don't care who you are,
if you're Black,
white, or polka dot.
If you're a human being
with two eyes and a heart,
that kid makes you feel good.
That's why they call him...
Christine Johnson: Do not use
that nickname in this house.
But Mama! (Laughs)
It's right here in
black and white!
I don't care if it's
written in rainbow.
His name is Earvin, and in this
house, that's what we call him.
That's right! You heard the
woman! Show some respect!
(laughing)
Mama could scare
Jesus off the cross.
(scoffs)
She a Seventh Day Adventist, so
she say magic the devil's work.
(groovy music playing)
Devil can't hoop like me though.
Christine Johnson:
Don't blaspheme, Junior.
Yes, Mama. (Laughs)
Hey, Junior! Huh!
Junior, tell your mama not to
burn the chicken this time.
That's between
y'all, Aunt Ethel.
- Where's Pop?
- You know the city wouldn't let him off his double.
That's the third
double this week.
You know Pop. Takes the
doubles when he can get 'em.
Man will work himself to death.
- Guess I get Pop's chair.
- Quincy: Yeah.
(chatter, laughter)
Come on in, Mama! Be any minute!
Hey, Earvin, I want
you to go to Chicago.
Yeah, but, you know, I'm tryin'
to be a sunny Californian,
- you know what I'm sayin'?
- Ooh-ho-ho!
(street noise, honking)
David Stern: Larry, the, uh,
press are here for the coin flip.
- Hey, Larry.
- Sit down, fellas.
If you ask me, the
real number one
already went to Boston,
that fair-haired
boy from Indiana.
He's a real hard worker.
- They're on.
- Chicago?
- (breaking up): Can you hear me?
- What?
Larry O'Brien (clear):
Chicago, can you hear me now?
Yeah, yeah. This is
Chicago. We got you.
- O'Brien: Los Angeles, you hear me alright?
- Cooke: Fine.
Alright. We got a coin?
Oh, uh...
No. Gentlemen, a
quarter, anyone?
- O'Brien: Somebody got a coin?
- A fuckin' coin?
Can you believe this shit?
I'll find one. Excuse me.
- O'Brien: We're... for a...
- Rod Thorn: I'm sorry.
Can, can you repeat that?
O'Brien: We're waiting
for a coin! One second!
- Thorn: You can use any coin you want.
- O'Brien: Hang on!
Man: Want me to ask outside?
Found one. I think
I got the gum off.
We got a coin here!
Chicago, coin toss,
heads or tails?
Heads. Let's go heads.
Los Angeles, you good with that?
That's fine!
Alright. Come on, Lady Luck.
- You want a side bet, Frank?
- No, thank you. This is nerve-wracking.
- (laughter)
- Alright, here we go!
(ding)
♪ If you ever ♪
(blues guitar playing)
♪ Change your mind ♪
♪ Oh, about leaving ♪
♪ About leaving me behind ♪
♪ Hey, my baby, won't you... ♪
♪ Bring it on home ♪
♪ Bring your sweet loving... ♪
♪ Bring it on home to me ♪
(guitar riff continues)
(phone ringing)
(funky music playing on radio)
♪ Pure excitement, 102.3 ♪
Reporter (on radio): School board
election results for Lansing
show Michael Olfactor
defeating Gabe Jesper
by 180 votes,
and Harriet Washington
winning easily.
And now, let's go
to Peter Froman
for tonight's big
story in sports.
Peter Froman: Top story tonight,
the coin flip for the first pick
of the NBA draft between
the Los Angeles Lakers
and the Chicago Bulls.
At stake,
local phenom Earvin
Magic Johnson.
And the winner out of Manhattan,
the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Lakers will get the
first pick of the draft,
which will likely
be the-all star,
all-American point guard
out of Michigan State.
Johnson led the Spartans to
an NCAA Championship last year
against Larry Bird
in Indiana State.
Seems his...
(lively music, chatter)
Do they even have
churches in Los Angeles?
Earvin Johnson: Sure they do,
Mama! Biggest in the world!
With some fine chicks
filling up them pews!
(man laughs)
I tried with this one.
He's in your hands now.
(funky music)
I just don't see why we can't
keep a good thing going,
no matter where I live.
- Just take more work is all.
- For who?
I know what you're thinkin'.
You think I'm gonna get
out there with all that sun
and money and whatever.
You think it's gonna change me.
I didn't say change, Earvin.
- I know you.
- You know?
You love me.
That's why what we've
been doin' has to stop.
Let me get this right.
You gonna roll out
on one of the top
NBA draft picks
who's about to be a millionaire
who just adores you,
for what?
For here?
Hey...
That ain't the Cookie I know.
Good luck out there, Earvin.
I'll be rootin' for you.
For real?
You... You're really
gonna walk away?
Just know I ain't
gonna be alone!
'Cause everybody
want some of Magic!
Jerry West: We don't
fuckin' want him.
- Pardon his French.
- Oh, pardon my ass, Bill!
I already got a point guard.
- I got Norm Nixon.
- Yeah, but you hate Nixon.
So, draft me someone I
don't hate for change.
He's a generational
talent, Jerry.
I mean, hell, he's the
most exciting guard
to play the game,
hell, since you!
- Says fuckin' who?
- Bill Sharman: Who? Me! Everybody!
Fuckin' have them coach, okay?
- Hey, Jerry!
- I fuckin' quit!
Done! I'm fuckin' done!
I can't even play a game
of fucking golf without
you bringing up shit.
He does this all the time.
Jerry West, head
coach of the Lakers.
- Basketball legend.
- (ding)
- Oh, bullshit...
- Considered a true gentlemen of the sport,
to everyone who
does not know him.
(overlapping shouting)
In his playing years,
he led the team to the
finals against the Celtics
six years in a row.
♪ ♪
Six losses.
Announcer 1: Elgin
tosses the ball to West.
Look at him shoot!
Thirty points now
for Jerry West.
Announcer 2: The building is
on their feet and screaming!
They all want Red to
light up that cigar.
Announcer 3: Jerry West, who is
playing the game of his life out here.
Announcer 4: The Boston
Celtics have done it again.
Another jewel in that crown.
Announcer 5: Series
comes down to...
Announcer 6: Jerry West
tried to carry his team
and nearly did just that!
Hell of a series,
hell of a team!
♪ In the night ♪
Announcer 7: Victory by Boston,
to the man most valuable
during the entire seven games.
Jerry Buss: The last time he
played so great, they made him MVP.
Still lost, though.
(angry muttering)
♪ I memorized... ♪
When he retired,
they made his silhouette
the logo of the league.
West: You think that
made me fuckin' happy?!
Well, it didn't!
Let me go talk to him.
Just having a conversation.
You want a conversation
about this?
- If you want, Jerry.
- Well, hell, come on over.
You're about to own this shit
streak of a fuckin' team.
Do you really wanna know
what's wrong with Johnson?
Lay it on me.
One thing.
He's too tall.
Huh.
Sorry, and that's
not a positive?
Well, for a five-man, sure,
but not for a
fuckin' ball handler.
His ball's gotta travel
twice as fuckin' far
- to reach his fingers.
- Right.
- He's a walking turnover.
- Yeah, but he's a hell of a passer!
He's a showboat!
He's too flashy to play
second fiddle to Kareem!
And that's reason
number fuckin' two!
Hold on now. Is
there a third reason?
(quietly): He smiles too much.
Yeah, this is a man's
game, and he's soft.
(laughs)
Looks awful nice on a
billboard though, Jerry.
Your cocksuckin' motherfuckin'
butt-fuckin' billboards
- don't play the game of fuckin' basketball!
- Whoa!
- Jerry! Jerry!
- Fucking busted my shaft, Pedro.
- Pedro: On it, Jer.
- Pro shop has him on a tab.
- He'll come around.
- Jerry Buss: He's got a real nice disposition.
- West: Fuckin' done...
- Hey, I'm with you, Jerry!
Go get yourself a Bloody
Mary! I'll see you up there!
He'll come around,
but if you're serious
about Johnson,
Jerry's not the guy we
gotta be worried about.
- What then, the big fella?
- Nah. The little one.
(deejay speaking on radio)
Tune in noon to 3:00 on KCYE...
Norm Nixon. Floor general,
and All-Star point guard
of the Los Angeles Lakers.
(ding)
(laughs) A-da-da-da-da!
Easy on the clear
coat, baby. Shit.
Word on the street is y'all
drafted Magic Johnson.
Mm. I'd sure like to
have me some of that.
- Mm-hmm.
- Ain't he a point guard, too, Norman?
(sighs) Look.
It's just a meetin'. He
ain't drafted yet. Calm down.
Oh no, that ain't what I heard.
Everybody in D-Town
saying it's a done deal.
Got to be an advantage being
a guard as tall as he is.
Yeah...
When you first came in here,
we thought you was the mailman.
(laughter)
- Gave you a stamp and everything!
- (mocking laughter)
- Kiss my Black ass, Sharice.
- Oh!
Listen, y'all don't know shit about
the game of basketball, Athena.
Look, they can draft
him if they want to.
I'll just run him off the floor.
Aw. Don't worry, Norman.
If you lose your minutes,
maybe Magic can pull your
little ass out of a hat.
(laughter)
Athena: I'm surprised Kareem...
Hey! It's my motherfuckin'
team, goddammit!
Sharice: Ooh... Okay.
It's my fuckin' team!
(customers laughter)
(clack)
Assistant Director:
Alright, we're set, boss.
Director: And action.
Wait a minute, I know you.
You're Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
You play center for
the Los Angeles Lakers.
I'm sorry, son,
but you must have me
confused with someone else.
My name is Roger Murdock.
I'm the copilot.
You are Kareem.
I've seen you play. My
dad's got season tickets.
I think you're the
greatest, but my dad says
you don't work hard
enough on defense.
And you don't really try
except during playoffs.
(stilted): The hell I don't!
Listen, kid, I've
been hearing that crap
ever since I was at UCLA.
I'm out here busting
my buns every night.
You tell your old man to
drag Walton and Lanier
up and down the
court for 48 minutes.
Director: Cut!
(overlapping chatter)
Why not... was OJ not available?
So, how was I?
You were great,
babe. Really killer.
I'm trying to do
what you told me to.
Trying to project
my inner warmth.
Mr. Abdul-Jabbar?
You really are my
favorite player.
Do you think maybe we
could take a picture?
Fuck off, kid.
(muttering): It's my
motherfuckin' team.
It's my motherfuckin' team.
Everybody talkin'
about "Magic, Magic."
Why is this nigga so magical?
Cap! Ca...
- Cap!
- (loud jazz playing)
This is your team, Cap!
Your team! Five-time NBA.
(fading out): Five-time...
(inaudible)
(jazz continues)
(muffled): Fuck no!
(muffled)
- I-I'm just saying...
- You know what I'm about to tell you,
- don't you, Norman?
- (jazz on headphones)
Fuck off?
- Please.
- But, cap, I'm just t...
(music continues)
(quietly): Okay. Alright.
You look great, Cheryl.
Cheryl: Thank you, Norman.
- (drumming)
- Nice drums.
♪ ♪
(gentle music playing)
♪ ♪
(car door shuts)
(laughs)
(car door shuts)
- Young man, welcome to the Forum.
- Thank you, thank you.
Cooke: This is my
associate, Dr. Buss.
- Jerry.
- Johnson: Jerry.
Jerry Buss. You the
one buyin' the team.
- Right?
- Yes, I am.
Sir.
- Pleasure to meet you.
- Jerry Buss: Pleasure.
Actually, our deal stipulates
that I steer the ship
on personnel decisions
- in the meantime.
- (laughs) Alright, Jack.
Cooke: This way, son.
You know what they say
about thoroughbreds?
You can judge one
by its appetite.
I hope you brought yours, son.
- Our chef prepared his specialty.
- Jerry Buss: Alright.
You're really pulling
out the stops here, Jack.
- Cooke: Oh yeah.
- (Jerry laughs)
(metal clinking)
- Cooke: Thank you, Tony.
- Jerry Buss: Ta-da!
Alright! (Clears
throat) Bon appetit!
Bon appetit.
I'm, uh, ahem,
I'm told you're a city
employee, Mr. Johnson.
Yes, sir. Saturdays and Sundays.
Weekdays, I'm on
the Chrysler line.
Cooke: Chrysler? (Laughs)
Small world. You'll get
a chuckle out of this.
Buss here is selling me
the Chrysler Building.
(quiet laughter)
Hmm.
I worked a mill line in Wyoming.
Never ate so good
or slept so well,
- I'll tell you that.
- I know that's right.
Buss. Yeah. That hard work,
it'll put you to sleep, huh?
- Not built for everybody.
- Jerry Buss: Mm.
What's the matter, son? You
haven't touched your food.
Um... (laughs)
I was wondering, like
- what is it?
- (Jerry laughs)
Sand dabs.
- Okay.
- Cooke: Th-they're sand dabs.
It's expensive is what it
is. It's a very fine fish.
A delicacy. Take my word for it.
Right.
Could I just get a cheeseburger?
(Jerry laughing) - Earvin
Johnson Sr.: Earvin. Earvin.
Come on, Jack. The kid's
19. Get him a burger.
You want one, too, Mr. Johnson?
- I'm alright.
- Tony?
Can you please get me a burger,
get this man a burger,
and get this young man
right here a burger,
with cheese and all that?
- Yeah, everything.
- Alright. Everything, the works.
Whatever you got.
You want one, Jack?
No, I'm enjoying my sand dab.
Okay, good. Good.
Thank you, Tony. (Clears throat)
(cutlery clinking)
You should be aware, young man,
that we haven't
settled on a pick yet.
That's cool. I haven't
settled on a team yet.
But, he's not opposed to a fair
offer either. Are you, son?
This is a draft,
not free agency.
Choice is ours. He
goes where he's told.
Or I go back to school,
turn pro next year
for a different team.
Huh.
I'm thinkin' 600,000.
(Jerry chuckling)
Look here, son. Lew Alcindor
is the league's biggest star.
- Kareem.
- Cooke: Same difference.
He's also one surly son
of a bitch negotiator,
and we closed at 650.
That's why six feels cool.
I mean, for now.
Plus tuition in the summertime,
so I can finish my degree,
and, you know, make Mama happy.
Jerry Buss: That's
important. (Laughs)
- Don't underestimate mom.
- Four.
And you can work your way
through school, young man,
just like I did.
Way I see it, Mr. Cooke,
basketball is my work.
And I'm worth six.
This dab ain't half bad.
Look here, boy.
Jerry Buss: Ah
- 400,000's our final offer.
- (Jerry coughs)
- (laughs)
- (Jerry coughs)
Mr. Cooke, do what you
want with your money.
Hey, Pop, let's go
see some movie stars.
Alright, boys!
We're all boys here,
right? (Clears throat)
We're gonna think it over.
I-I'll walk you
fellows out, alright?
That alright, Jack?
It was a good lunch.
I enjoyed that
salad, I'll tell you.
Johnson Sr.: We don't all get the
world right out the gate, son.
More money than I've
seen in my entire life.
That's what they're giving
you, and you say no?
Really thrilled,
especially my husband.
Look where we at, Pop.
We in this fancy-ass hotel.
They fly us out first class.
They do all that shit
to get you primed up,
so you jump at the first offer
they put in front of your face.
Earvin, pull your
head out your ass.
All I know is you got 400,000
in the one hand,
nothing in the other.
- Pretty simple choice to me.
- That's you, Pop.
When I first got to Everett
with all them white kids,
I was scared as hell.
I could've looked down
and kept it moving,
but I didn't.
I looked them right in the eyes,
gave them a smile and
a State Championship.
(laughs)
And now, they love
them some Magic.
Just figured out a different
way to deal with them is all.
I learned how to
make 'em feel good.
You figure 'em out
just like that?
(laughs) You can have pretty
much anything you want.
You know how many times I went
left when I should've gone right?
Hm?
Smiled when there
was nothing funny?
Took less than I deserved,
but bowed my head and said,
"Thank you, sir,"
so you could keep your
mind on playing ball?
- Pop...
- And for all that,
I get you... telling me
you know something
about this life I don't?
Pop!
(phone ringing)
Hello?
(applause on TV)
Hey, Dr. Buss, what's up?
West: I mean, Moncrief's
my fuckin' guy.
No, Mon-Moncrief is
100% my fuckin' guy.
Come fucking business time,
he was putting up 26, 27, 28.
He really posted
the same numbers.
Scotch and soda.
("Papa Loves Mambo"
by Perry Como playing)
What you got there, Jer?
Pictures of your sister.
Sharman says you're
drafting Magic.
(laughs, mutters)
You thi... think
I... Is that right?
Hey, what kind of
doctor are you anyway?
Physical chemistry.
- Hm.
- Believe it or not,
I used to help design
missiles for the government.
But one day, I realized
I'd rather build things
than blow 'em up.
That was the end of that.
Heavy, man.
Earvin, that's what I
wanna do with the Lakers.
I wanna build something special.
Hm.
But I need a partner.
That mean we got a deal?
W... I take you out
for a nice burger,
you just wanna hit me
again with that? (Laughs)
600 is a lot, let me tell you.
You know what the Celtics
just paid Larry Bird?
(laughs)
- Yeah, I see you smiling.
- (laughing)
I mean, I don't see the
difference between me and him.
You know, except...
- I kind of did whoop his ass for the national championship.
- Yeah, you did.
- (laughs)
- Come on.
I'm gonna take you
one more place.
You wanna drive?
- Yeah!
- Cool.
(funky music playing)
Is that Diana Ross?
Jerry Buss: Yes, it is.
(laughs) - And next to
her is Miss December.
I just paid for her
sophomore year of college.
Great gal. You wanna meet her?
- (women laughing)
- (Magic laughs nervously)
These ain't
round-the-way-girls, like...
Now, the ladies love Magic,
but those are stars.
Let me let you in on a
little secret, Earvin.
So are you.
(scoffs)
Far out, man. Far out.
Ooh! This is my
favorite part. (Laughs)
(playing electric organ)
Welcome to the legendary.
Horn Nightclub!
- (funk music)
- (applause)
And now, introducing
the glamorous Horn Girls!
(cheering, whistling)
♪ Leave your worries
at the doorstep ♪
♪ Take your honeys by the hand ♪
♪ Tap your feet, a
little two-step ♪
♪ Get ready for
the promised land ♪
♪ It's showtime ♪
It's showtime!
I don't know why basketball
can't feel like that.
To me, Dr. Buss, it do.
(music stops)
Mrs. Rothman!
Get the hell in here!
(soft music)
What can I do for you?
Feel this.
I'm sorry?
Come on, Mrs. Rothman.
Poke it.
With your finger.
Does that feel medium to you?
Uh...
I'm not much of a cook,
Mr. Cooke.
Repeat after me, Mrs. Rothman.
I...
- I.
- Will not!
- Will not.
- (belches)
(quietly): Excuse me.
I'm gonna take this to
the kitchen for you.
Have you seen this?
Did you see the paper?
- (sighs)
- Claire Rothman: I haven't, no.
Cooke: Take a read.
Out loud.
(Claire sighs)
"Mogul Cooke cited for
"cruel and inhumane treatment
in largest divorce
settlement in history."
My goddamn obituary.
First line, mark my words
after 30... years.
Joy to millions.
Inspiration to the fucking kids.
This is how I get remembered!
(soft music continues)
I could find another way,
you know, to pay the bitch.
Suppose this deal
fell through with...
Mr. Playboy Bunny-fucker.
Jerry Buss: Look at
this. Says the Lakers
are drafting Sidney
Moncrief, shooting guard.
Says the source comes from
somebody in the front office.
What, and you think I told him?
Oh, fuck that.
Fuck you, too. Fuck no.
Doesn't matter
where they got it.
- Does fucking matter.
- No, it doesn't matter
because what matters is
this. It's not the truth.
Alright? We're picking Johnson.
(stammers, sighs)
- That's a big mistake. It is.
- Well...
Alright, it's a mistake.
But, we're doing
it, alright? Look,
- Moncrief is a fine player. He...
- Great. Player.
Moncrief is a great player.
And you know what,
Jerry? Fuck this.
He's also a better scorer by
five fuckin' points a game.
Which is exactly what this
fuckin' team needs to win!
Yeah. And Johnson's a star.
So was I! A fuckin' star!
I could pass behind my
back, over my fucking head.
I co... Hell, I could pass it out
my fucking asshole if you wanted.
Do you know what? You
wanna know what it got me?
- Do you wanna fucking know what it got me?
- (slams table)
It got me sweet fuck-all!
It got me this, a
fucking movie prize!
Here it is. Ho-ho-ho!
Hey, welcome him in, here he is!
Jerry Fucking West, MVP,
the most valuable
fuckin' loser award!
1969 Celtics 4,
Lakers 3, Jerry West!
Winning and fucking losin'.
You know what?
Cooke sent me out there
to be his star, too.
Got me to sell his tickets.
And every year we lost, he
still cashed his checks.
But I'm the one that's
gotta live with it.
I'm the one that's gotta
have the nightmares
with these Boston Irish
motherfuckers flooding the floor.
Announcer: The always hustling,
always chasing Jerry West,
with a final tally that
was heart-breaking...
Do you think I like that?
Announcer: A series
that could have
truly gone either way...
I can still smell the halitosis.
You got any idea
what that's like?
- Huh? Do you fucking know what that feels like?
- Probably pretty lousy...
No, you fuckin' don't!
'Cause this is not your life.
No, this is just a
business deal to you.
Yes, sir.
So go on. Why don't you go ahead
and just tell me who I
should fuckin' draft?
(slams trophy)
Yeah. Fuck it.
Jerry Buss: You're
a great man, Jerry.
I'm looking forward
to working with ya.
- I can't do this anymore.
- Hey, listen.
I used to drink
a lot of bourbon.
I switched to vodka.
You can smell it less.
Just a tip.
("The Dancing Bumblebee"
by Neil Diamond playing)
♪ ♪
- Whites only, sir.
- What now?
It's a white party.
You have to wear white to enter.
♪ ♪
Oh. (Laughs) Alright.
See, it's a LA thing. See,
I was about to show you
what we do in Michigan when
we hear something like that.
I see, sir. Let me assist you.
This ain't a bad
jacket right here.
(party chatter)
♪ And when the hot
winds blow tonight ♪
♪ ♪
You know, finders keepers.
It's the finders keep...
Hey! There he is! Earvin!
- Dr. Buss.
- How you doing? You found the place!
- I'm so glad you came. Come here.
- Yes, sir.
I wanna introduce you
to the big swinging dick
- that owns this joint.
- Okay.
Don Sterling? Earvin Johnson.
You weren't kiddin', Jerry.
You bought yourself a big one.
(ding)
- Wow.
- (patting)
So muscular. Wow.
Jerry Buss: Alright, hands
off the merchandise, Don.
Well, how you like the
California girls, huh?
- Johnson: I'm likin' 'em.
- This is Sienna.
- Nice to meet you.
- And here we have Tasha.
Have some champagne
before the coke.
It's much better that way.
This kid's from Michigan.
He's not into that stuff just
yet, but we'll get to it.
- We'll get to it. Mind if I show him the place, Don?
- Yeah. Sure, Jerry.
- So magnificent.
- Don's always threatening to buy himself a team,
but he's too cheap. Throws
a decent shindig, though.
♪ Oh, so hard to understand... ♪
- How you doing?
- Norm Nixon: How you doing, man?
- You look fabulous.
- Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Hey, I want you
to meet somebody.
This is Earvin Johnson.
Nixon: No shit.
If it ain't the Magic Man!
- Hey!
- Stormin' Norman Nixon.
- What's up, brother?
- Boys,
I have two dear friends in
the Jacuzzi waiting for me,
so I'm gonna let you get to
know each other, alright?
- Oh shit!
- Be nice, Norm.
- Get that tail, Buss. Get that tail, Dr. Buss.
- (laughing)
Okay.
Hey, you ready to show
these people what's up?
- Where you from again, man? Ohio?
- Lansing. Michigan.
Nixon: Oh, country nigga.
♪ ♪
- (scattered cheering)
- Big country's got some game.
Woo!
(crowd reacts, applause)
So, how you likin'
Cali so far, man?
It's cool.
People seem cool.
Dr. Buss seems cool.
Let me give you a little advice
though, my man, real quick.
- Go back to college.
- (ball hits backboard)
(ball bouncing)
Guards in this league,
are six-two, six-three at best.
And most of 'em are
lightning-fast. Quick hands.
And they all shoot
better than you.
And take a brother's
word for it.
This league ain't
the place for you
to be figuring out
a new position.
No, you'd be running
your post moves
while these grown men pick
your pocket, Cincinnati.
- It's Lansing.
- Yeah.
Ah, I don't give a fuck.
- (swish)
- (cheering)
Game is five.
♪ I'm a boogie woogie, baby,
if you wanna see me boogie ♪
♪ All you gotta
do is wind me up ♪
Nixon: Come on.
- Ooh!
- (cheering)
I'm in fox, so I gotta take
this shit off real quick.
- Johnson: Oh, the fox too hot for you?
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Johnson: Let me
take off my jacket.
Let-let-let me get a
little bit relaxed.
Alright.
- I don't know about that.
- You ready?
A-a-are you ready? This
ain't Indiana, boy.
This ain't Larry Bird. This
is the goddamn NBA defense.
- What you got? Come on. What you got?
- Oh, you're on defense.
- You gonna hold deep?
- Come on. Yeah, yeah, yeah...
Crowd: Oh!
(cheering)
(singing funk song)
♪ ♪
Let me take you down
to the post real quick.
You ready? Oh!
- Oh! Oh! Excuse me.
- (crowd oohing)
- Come on, Magic!
- (clapping)
Magic, come here,
come here, come here.
Can you do math?
- I know you aren't that smart.
- (crowd oohing)
Oh shit. Okay, okay, okay.
I'm fuckin' with you.
(laughs) Here we go.
♪ ♪
- (music stops)
- Slow.
- (insects chirping)
- (quiet laughter)
Can you understand that?
We goin' slow, boy.
We going slow.
Is-is-isn't that how.
(Southern accent): You
country boys be talkin'
o-o-out there, o-o-out there in,
uh, Michigan? Yeah? Okay.
- Here we go. Here we go. Here we go.
- (dribbling)
(speeding up): Here
we go. Here we go.
Here we go. Here... Oh!
- Oh shit! Oh!
- Crowd: Oh!
(crowd cheering)
Excuse me!
You know,
maybe stay in college
one more year.
Play with your
friends in the dorm.
That's cute.
Woo! Can I get my
jacket? Thank you, baby.
Alright, take care now, boy.
(somber music playing)
Young Johnson: Oh! Monroe!
Guarded! Johnson! Oh! Oh!
(fading out): Oh,
Johnson! Johnson! Oh...
Don't use your power
when you dribbling!
- Use your fingertips!
- I took, like, four or five steps.
- Now, he's got the ball!
- Johnson Sr.: Keep your hands up!
- Keep your eyes straight ahead!
- Young Johnson: JV!
Johnson Sr.: Look
straight ahead!
(Young Johnson chattering)
Go, ball, go! I won! (Cheering)
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
(knocking)
Come in.
You wanted to see me?
How's your first week going?
- Jeanie Buss: Good, good.
- Good.
I figured out the Xerox.
- That's the hardest part.
- (laughs)
Jeanie Buss: Is everything okay?
(exhales)
Dondo Obrigado.
A kid I knew in grade school.
First boy whose dick I saw.
(scoffs) Not by choice.
He'd run around the lockers,
flashing all the
girls, screaming,
(nasally): "Take a good look!
Remember this! Remember this!"
It didn't leave
a big impression.
But he did. Dondo.
I have been meeting
Dondos my whole life.
They usually park their asses
back in that corner office.
Everyone's a little different,
but everyone's the same.
Every day they spin the wheel,
and wherever it lands,
that's the woman I
need to be that day.
And you think my
dad is one of them?
(sighs)
Well... is he?
I'm taking real good care of it.
Jerry Buss (on phone):
Remember when we used to go
out to Catalina on that thing?
Oh, fuck off, Jerry,
what do you want?
I need the loan.
It's my money, goddammit!
Jerry Buss: I know
it's your money, JoAnn.
You deserve that money.
You know, I'm not asking
you to give it to me.
I'm asking you to loan it to me,
to make me a loan that
you will get back.
Mm...
Have you asked your
horrible friends?
You don't think this is my
first call? I called everybody.
- I got nothing left to sell.
- Goddammit.
- When have I ever steered you wrong before?
- (laughs)
Alright, touché. Yeah.
Besides convincing you
to marry me, what else?
- It's my fucking money!
- Is that what you want me to say?
Yeah, I cheated on you.
She was a figure skater...
This call is not
about our marriage.
This call is-is a financial
call, and I'm begging you.
- Uh-huh.
- I'm begging you.
I'm begging you.
Listen, do you know that Jeanie
is already working there?
- No, no, no, no, don't you bring her into this!
- Well, she's in it!
I can't help it. She's in
it. She works there now,
and she's got her
little heart set on it.
She's got her heart set on you.
Well, good! I'm her dad.
Is that a bad thing?
(sighs)
- I'll call the bank.
- Thank you.
Thank you, Jo. You are not
gonna regret this, I promise.
JoAnn: (laughing) Yeah, okay...
What, she's in?
♪ To dream the
impossible dream... ♪
She's gonna lend us the
last $2 million, Frank.
(singing continues) -You beautiful
son of a bitch. We got it!
- We got it? Oh my god...
- We got all of it!
- Mwah!
- Don't you kiss me.
- Don't you kiss me.
- Thank God for ex-wives, huh?
I feel like one right
now. I love you! Magic.
Hey, Dad. Uh, do
you have a minute?
- (door closes)
- What happened?
It's Cooke.
He's going to ask for
all of it in cash.
The whole amount because he
knows you'll come up short.
Rothman: It's not
business. It's personal.
He wants to fuck you
like you're Miss July.
Why are you telling
me this, Claire?
Uh, (scoffs) I just
wanna do my job.
You work for Cooke.
I think I'd rather work for you.
(on television): This
sure is a creepy shortcut!
Are you sure we're
going the right way?
We did not come out
here to California
to sit in some dark-ass room
and miss all this
beautiful sunshine.
- You've been in here all day.
- (TV continues)
I don't know, Pop.
- (Johnson sighs)
- What you don't know?
I come in here,
everybody gassin' me up, saying
I'ma be the next big thing.
But, what if I go out
there with all this height,
and fall flat on my ass?
Then what?
I'll go back to Lansing?
Well, I can think
of worse things.
At least you got people
there who love you.
I just don't wanna be
Lansing's tallest garbage man.
Pop, I'm...
No, no...
(sighs)
When you were still
inside your mother
we'd stay up some nights,
holding each other in
that Lansing in cold,
just dreaming about your future.
One night,
it'd be Dr. Johnson.
Next night,
maybe a judge.
Never in a million
years did I believe,
or even think, pro ball.
If you're not ready
for this league yet,
go on back to school, son.
If you're not ready ever,
I don't care. I love you.
You hear me?
My bottom line
won't change, son.
Never will.
(funky music playing)
The humble home of
Jack Kent Cooke!
Lives in California, but
he has to make it seem like
he's the goddamn
Queen of England.
I know what he's planning,
and if you think that gave me
enough time to hustle up the
extra cash, you're wrong.
I'm dead in the water.
But, you know why I love swans?
The most graceful bird on Earth,
but underneath the water,
they're paddlin'
up a fuckin' storm.
(splashing)
Well
these are the deeds
of the properties as agreed.
Assessed value of 33.75 million.
You already have
my 18 down, and, uh
this check should
cover the rest.
You know I have the right
to demand all of it in cash
instead?
(laughs)
Well, Jack, then I'd
be up shit creek.
And so would you.
Watch me paddle, motherfuckers.
So you can kill this deal,
and you can fleece me
for my whole down payment,
but you're still going to owe
your ex-wife a
whole lot of money.
And then, you're gonna
have to find another buyer
for a franchise in a league
that most sane people
think is sinking
like a hard turd in a toilet.
I mean, that's the facts, Jack.
So, if we're playing poker,
no. I don't have the cards.
But Jack, I think
we're playing chicken.
And I like those odds
a whole lot better.
(clicks tongue)
We will accept the
properties in trade.
(clears throat) That
was always my plan,
to take the properties in trade.
- Great.
- (ding)
(distant siren)
Rothman: What's going
on? Did someone die?
Worse.
Jerry Buss: Well, shit. (Laughs)
The office girl said she could
get us on the first flight home.
Jerry Buss: Yeah.
Back to college.
Earvin, are you sure
there's nothing I can do
to change your mind?
I-I'm sorry, Dr. Buss.
It's just, um...
Just timing, I guess. Um...
Just think I need another year.
(flips cards)
(flips cards)
(inhales)
Well, you know your heart, son.
- You had a pretty good time.
- Johnson: Yeah.
Give me a second.
I'll walk you out.
I'm just gonna
grab my coat here.
(fluorescent lights buzzing)
(sniffs)
This is Jerry. Missed
that shot. (Laughs)
(clears throat)
Beautiful form, though.
Johnson: Great player.
Wait a minute.
(sighs) Well, crap.
I think I just got us
lost. (laughs) Uh...
You know what? Hang tight.
I'm gonna find someone
to get us out of here.
I don't have the
place memorized yet!
Just wait right there.
Just wait right there.
Sorry, Earvin!
I'll be right back!
(buzzing continues)
♪ ♪
(funky guitar riff)
♪ ♪
(bouncing echoes)
Johnson: He has the ball.
He brings it downcourt.
He crosses.
He goes between his legs.
He crosses. He spins.
He takes it to the right...
Oh!
He makes the layup!
Oh! He gets the
rebound! Oh my gosh!
A guard that can rebound
like that? That's amazing!
He brings the ball downcourt.
It's the Magic Man
puttin' on a show.
He's doing it! He's doing it!
He goes left!
He goes up!
Throws it! Ah! He
throws the ball!
Lakers win! Lakers
win! Lakers win...
♪ ♪
(panting)
♪ ♪
The first pick,
of the 1979 NBA draft,
the Los Angeles Lakers select...
Earvin "Magic" Johnson.
Reporter: What should the fans expect?
Can this team make a title run?
You tell them if they like
basketball, come on out.
The Lakers are
already a great team.
With me? It's gonna be exciting.
Reporter 1: Earvin, will
they miss you in Michigan?
Reporter 2: Are you ready for the
glitz and glamour of Los Angeles?
Jerry Buss: There he is!
♪ ♪
(door slams)
(Jerry West sighs)
("Night And Day" playing)
(neon lights buzzing)
♪ Like the beat, beat,
beat of the tom-tom ♪
♪ When the jungle shadows fall ♪
♪ Like the tick tick tock
of the stately clock... ♪
Reporter (on TV):
Magic Johnson became
the second-highest-paid
rookie in NBA history today
behind Larry Bird,
singing a contract
for half a million
dollars a year.
With such an
astronomical salary,
expectations will be sky-high...
♪ So a voice within me ♪
♪ Keeps repeating ♪
♪ You, you, you... ♪
♪ Night and day ♪
♪ You are the one ♪
♪ Only you beneath the moon... ♪
Well...
I own this. (Laughs)
♪ It's no matter, darling ♪
(laughing)
♪ Where you are,
I think of you ♪
(coughing)
I fuckin' own this.
(laughing) Ah!
(wild laughter)
♪ That this longing for you... ♪
I fucking own this.
♪ ...follows wherever I go ♪
(sighs)
I fucking own this!
(laughs)
(screams)
♪ Are you ready now? ♪
♪ To get on down ♪
(funky guitar riff)
♪ Get on down, baby ♪
♪ Get on down ♪
♪ And boogie around ♪
♪ I say, people
across the nation ♪
♪ You've got yourselves
a good creation ♪
♪ People across
the nation, yeah ♪
♪ You've got yourselves
a good vibration ♪
♪ You're sending out
good vibrations ♪
♪ You've got yourselves
a good vibration ♪
♪ Are you ready? ♪
♪ Are you ready now? ♪
♪ Are you ready? ♪
♪ Are you ready now? ♪
♪ To get on down ♪
♪ ♪
- Receptionist: Doctor's office.
Yes, let me transfer
you... One moment, please.
(video game beeping)
Brooke Shields (on TV): American
life at this point where,
if they're intelligent,
if they're fairly strong
and rather sure of themselves,
they represent a threat...
- He still in there?
- Nurse: Room 12.
There's a photographer in front.
They want to let
him out the back.
Just to make sure
nobody sees him.
- Okay.
- Okay. Thanks.
(muffled chatter)
(uneasy music)
- (inaudible)
- (footsteps approaching)
Man: Earvin?
Um... when you're ready?
Right.
Right on.
♪ ♪
(inaudible)
(starts engine)
(man crying)
♪ ♪
(muffled crying)
(sirens wailing)
("My Favorite Mutiny"
by The Coup playing
♪ ♪
♪ There it is ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Check it out ♪
♪ Move, if you got the nerve ♪
♪ Lash out for your
just desserts ♪
♪ It's not just the worth ♪
♪ Some of y'all heads
up in the clouds ♪
♪ I'ma bring y'all
back to earth ♪
♪ It's Black back to burn ♪
♪ Bullshit y'all talkin' 'bout ♪
♪ Out ya mouth ♪
♪ I'm not concerned ♪
♪ 'Cause y'all got to learn ♪
♪ It's y'all turn
like Detroit Red ♪
♪ When his head
had a Ultra Perm ♪
♪ The long walk'll
burn your bare heels ♪
♪ So throw on your boots ♪
♪ The game camouflaged
like army suits ♪
♪ But I can see it more clear ♪
♪ 'Cause I came with
The Coup in here ♪
♪ Ring the alarm and
form the troops ♪
♪ Send 'em out into the
world Go to war in a fluke ♪
♪ Eye to eye with the
enemy you sworn to shoot ♪
♪ Now comin' at ya
neck sick o' hearin' ♪
♪ Something wrong with me ♪
♪ Motherfucker somethin'
wrong with you ♪
♪ When the chief just way
too smart to question ♪
♪ The enemy the brothers
of a dark complexion ♪
♪ The governments of the
world is shark infested ♪
♪ They heavy on weaponry
like Charlton Heston ♪
♪ Man, yeah, it gets low here ♪
♪ Real low Know what
I'm talkin' 'bout? ♪
(vocalizing)
♪ Yeah, yo, it gets low... ♪
♪ ♪
- (static)
- (siren wailing)
(TV clicks off)
God damn. Basketball.
I mean, look at it.
It's like great sex.
It's always moving.
It's rhythmic. It's
up close and personal.
There's no pads or
helmets for protection.
It's just you
and these other guys out there,
trying to get the
ball into the hoop.
It's a beautiful thing,
and every single one of
those guys plays that game
with their own unique
pizazz and style.
It's sexy. Come on.
I mean, if there's two
things in this world
that make me believe in God,
it's sex and basketball.
You know?
Hon?
- Honey?
- (groans) I'm sleeping.
I know. I was just saying
about sex and basketball and...
Yeah, I have a test
in the morning.
- You do?
- Mm-hmm.
Her loss.
That makes you
the first to know.
I'm about to buy a team.
(funky music)
Dynamite.
The National
Basketball Association.
The NBA.
You've heard of it, right?
Of course, you have. Who hasn't?
I'll tell you who. Them.
(soft moaning)
Young people, hip people,
fashionable people.
Pardon the expression,
but the kind of people
you might wanna have
a little fun with.
Oh hey, Dr. Buss. No
breakfast this morning?
Nah, not today.
- I'm going to buy the Lakers.
- Ah, no kiddin'?
Tell 'em a win the
championship one of these days.
- I'll do what I can, Fred.
- Fred: You got it, brother.
Welcome to sunny Los Angeles.
Great for tans
shit for fans.
(starts engine)
The fact that Fred
there even knew
someone who won a championship
makes him special.
♪ ♪
So why is the NBA so unpopular!?
Yeah, the press says we
have an image problem.
But to most people,
the biggest problem is
the image is too dark.
- Let's go get 'em.
- Come on, let's do this.
But I didn't make a fortune
bettin' on the sure thing.
I made it buyin' low
and sellin' high.
♪ ♪
So, Buss came up
to 67.5 million.
But he's hoping you'll agree
to half of it in property
instead of cash.
- Is that the Chrysler building?
- Yeah.
The guy picks buildings like
a toddler at a toy store.
- Whatever's shiniest.
- Just get it done,
so I can give the cunt
her fucking money.
Oh, I'm not the cunt
he's talking about.
That's his soon-to-be ex-wife.
- Attendance numbers?
- Down a little.
- Oh shit.
- We have to disclose that.
No, I don't have to disclose
these if I've never seen them.
Mrs. Rothman.
(quietly): Undo a couple of
buttons, maybe he won't notice.
Come on, get in there.
Come on! Jerry,
just take the night.
Alright? We'll come
back tomorrow, you know?
J-just think this through.
We are trading in an empire
of-of real estate for what?
- I know.
- Twelve tall guys in tennis shoes?
Frank Mariani, my
business partner
and personal wet blanket.
He thinks this whole
thing is a bad idea.
- Wait, wait, wait... bad?
- (ding)
- (laughing)
- Try catastrophic.
The entire league is on
the verge of bankruptcy.
There may not be an
NBA in five years.
- 5:00 already?
- He's wearing Levi's.
- Who?
- Buss. He's worth, like, 80 million,
and he's wearing jeans
with frayed hems.
- What are you doing?
- I'm trying to keep my job.
Put them away. I'll go.
- Are you sure?
- Yes.
(cart rattling)
(sighs) What?
(rattling)
Hello, gentlemen.
Oh jeez, I'll take a G&T, hon.
Get it yourself, Frank.
- Claire Rothman?
- Pleasure.
Frank, you are lookin' at
the gal who was the first one
to put a rock-and-roll
act in a sports arena.
Wow. (Laughs) Yeah.
I'm a fan. Pleasure.
Mrs. Rothman's deal is with me.
Maybe I can throw her in.
(laughs) Jack!
Jack Cooke: Mr. Buss.
It's actually Dr. Buss,
but who's measuring?
So, we got a deal?
One concern. Liquidity.
You're asking to put up half
the total price in land swaps,
but you'll still owe
the rest in cash.
We'll have it.
We don't have it.
Shut up, Frank.
- We have a deal.
- Jerry Buss: Fantastic.
We don't have it, by the way,
but we'll get it. We'll get it.
♪ ♪
So for those of you
keepin' score at home,
I just promised to
pay $67.5 million
for the whole shebang.
So you take half of
that in real estate,
you subtract the $18 million
I already gave them
as a down payment,
and you're left
with $15.75 million
due in cash, in 30 days.
Now, I'm a guy with some bucks,
but it's in assets and holdings.
So, right now, I've got about
120 grand in the bank.
So, yeah.
I gotta move some things around.
♪ ♪
I hate him.
Uh, no, I hate him!
Jeanie Buss: You
signed the deal?
Jerry Buss: I still gotta
shuffle some cash around,
but, yeah. We're
pretty much there.
Dad, I want to work for you.
Jerry Buss: Jeanie, come on.
What?
I'm having a hard time
imagining Jerry West
and Bill Sharman taking
orders from Miss Palisades.
- Which I'm very proud of.
- Just tell them to take it from Miss Buss.
And I'm not asking to
give orders.
I'm asking to work.
I'm gonna tell your mother,
"She's leaving school
- "to work for me."
- Just give me a chance!
Alright, let's have
an interview. So
summer draft.
- You know what the summer draft is.
- Yes!
- I hope so. So...
- (laughs)
(laughs) Right. So, if the
Lakers win the coin toss,
- you'll get top pick.
- Right, so who do I pick?
It's easy. Two best guys just played
each other for the college title.
(crowd cheering) -Dick Enberg:
Oh my, folks. The most awaited
match-up in college
basketball history.
Two teams, led by two men.
From Indiana State, Larry Bird,
the hard-working,
disciplined,
all-American boy.
♪ ♪
Versus Earvin Johnson Jr.,
the show-stopping,
naturally gifted
physical specimen
out of Michigan State.
From those two guys,
who do I choose?
Trick question. Bird's already
going to the Boston Celtics.
You're right, and I'm
glad they took him.
All those owners that
were watching that game,
they were blinded by the white.
I don't care who you are,
if you're Black,
white, or polka dot.
If you're a human being
with two eyes and a heart,
that kid makes you feel good.
That's why they call him...
Christine Johnson: Do not use
that nickname in this house.
But Mama! (Laughs)
It's right here in
black and white!
I don't care if it's
written in rainbow.
His name is Earvin, and in this
house, that's what we call him.
That's right! You heard the
woman! Show some respect!
(laughing)
Mama could scare
Jesus off the cross.
(scoffs)
She a Seventh Day Adventist, so
she say magic the devil's work.
(groovy music playing)
Devil can't hoop like me though.
Christine Johnson:
Don't blaspheme, Junior.
Yes, Mama. (Laughs)
Hey, Junior! Huh!
Junior, tell your mama not to
burn the chicken this time.
That's between
y'all, Aunt Ethel.
- Where's Pop?
- You know the city wouldn't let him off his double.
That's the third
double this week.
You know Pop. Takes the
doubles when he can get 'em.
Man will work himself to death.
- Guess I get Pop's chair.
- Quincy: Yeah.
(chatter, laughter)
Come on in, Mama! Be any minute!
Hey, Earvin, I want
you to go to Chicago.
Yeah, but, you know, I'm tryin'
to be a sunny Californian,
- you know what I'm sayin'?
- Ooh-ho-ho!
(street noise, honking)
David Stern: Larry, the, uh,
press are here for the coin flip.
- Hey, Larry.
- Sit down, fellas.
If you ask me, the
real number one
already went to Boston,
that fair-haired
boy from Indiana.
He's a real hard worker.
- They're on.
- Chicago?
- (breaking up): Can you hear me?
- What?
Larry O'Brien (clear):
Chicago, can you hear me now?
Yeah, yeah. This is
Chicago. We got you.
- O'Brien: Los Angeles, you hear me alright?
- Cooke: Fine.
Alright. We got a coin?
Oh, uh...
No. Gentlemen, a
quarter, anyone?
- O'Brien: Somebody got a coin?
- A fuckin' coin?
Can you believe this shit?
I'll find one. Excuse me.
- O'Brien: We're... for a...
- Rod Thorn: I'm sorry.
Can, can you repeat that?
O'Brien: We're waiting
for a coin! One second!
- Thorn: You can use any coin you want.
- O'Brien: Hang on!
Man: Want me to ask outside?
Found one. I think
I got the gum off.
We got a coin here!
Chicago, coin toss,
heads or tails?
Heads. Let's go heads.
Los Angeles, you good with that?
That's fine!
Alright. Come on, Lady Luck.
- You want a side bet, Frank?
- No, thank you. This is nerve-wracking.
- (laughter)
- Alright, here we go!
(ding)
♪ If you ever ♪
(blues guitar playing)
♪ Change your mind ♪
♪ Oh, about leaving ♪
♪ About leaving me behind ♪
♪ Hey, my baby, won't you... ♪
♪ Bring it on home ♪
♪ Bring your sweet loving... ♪
♪ Bring it on home to me ♪
(guitar riff continues)
(phone ringing)
(funky music playing on radio)
♪ Pure excitement, 102.3 ♪
Reporter (on radio): School board
election results for Lansing
show Michael Olfactor
defeating Gabe Jesper
by 180 votes,
and Harriet Washington
winning easily.
And now, let's go
to Peter Froman
for tonight's big
story in sports.
Peter Froman: Top story tonight,
the coin flip for the first pick
of the NBA draft between
the Los Angeles Lakers
and the Chicago Bulls.
At stake,
local phenom Earvin
Magic Johnson.
And the winner out of Manhattan,
the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Lakers will get the
first pick of the draft,
which will likely
be the-all star,
all-American point guard
out of Michigan State.
Johnson led the Spartans to
an NCAA Championship last year
against Larry Bird
in Indiana State.
Seems his...
(lively music, chatter)
Do they even have
churches in Los Angeles?
Earvin Johnson: Sure they do,
Mama! Biggest in the world!
With some fine chicks
filling up them pews!
(man laughs)
I tried with this one.
He's in your hands now.
(funky music)
I just don't see why we can't
keep a good thing going,
no matter where I live.
- Just take more work is all.
- For who?
I know what you're thinkin'.
You think I'm gonna get
out there with all that sun
and money and whatever.
You think it's gonna change me.
I didn't say change, Earvin.
- I know you.
- You know?
You love me.
That's why what we've
been doin' has to stop.
Let me get this right.
You gonna roll out
on one of the top
NBA draft picks
who's about to be a millionaire
who just adores you,
for what?
For here?
Hey...
That ain't the Cookie I know.
Good luck out there, Earvin.
I'll be rootin' for you.
For real?
You... You're really
gonna walk away?
Just know I ain't
gonna be alone!
'Cause everybody
want some of Magic!
Jerry West: We don't
fuckin' want him.
- Pardon his French.
- Oh, pardon my ass, Bill!
I already got a point guard.
- I got Norm Nixon.
- Yeah, but you hate Nixon.
So, draft me someone I
don't hate for change.
He's a generational
talent, Jerry.
I mean, hell, he's the
most exciting guard
to play the game,
hell, since you!
- Says fuckin' who?
- Bill Sharman: Who? Me! Everybody!
Fuckin' have them coach, okay?
- Hey, Jerry!
- I fuckin' quit!
Done! I'm fuckin' done!
I can't even play a game
of fucking golf without
you bringing up shit.
He does this all the time.
Jerry West, head
coach of the Lakers.
- Basketball legend.
- (ding)
- Oh, bullshit...
- Considered a true gentlemen of the sport,
to everyone who
does not know him.
(overlapping shouting)
In his playing years,
he led the team to the
finals against the Celtics
six years in a row.
♪ ♪
Six losses.
Announcer 1: Elgin
tosses the ball to West.
Look at him shoot!
Thirty points now
for Jerry West.
Announcer 2: The building is
on their feet and screaming!
They all want Red to
light up that cigar.
Announcer 3: Jerry West, who is
playing the game of his life out here.
Announcer 4: The Boston
Celtics have done it again.
Another jewel in that crown.
Announcer 5: Series
comes down to...
Announcer 6: Jerry West
tried to carry his team
and nearly did just that!
Hell of a series,
hell of a team!
♪ In the night ♪
Announcer 7: Victory by Boston,
to the man most valuable
during the entire seven games.
Jerry Buss: The last time he
played so great, they made him MVP.
Still lost, though.
(angry muttering)
♪ I memorized... ♪
When he retired,
they made his silhouette
the logo of the league.
West: You think that
made me fuckin' happy?!
Well, it didn't!
Let me go talk to him.
Just having a conversation.
You want a conversation
about this?
- If you want, Jerry.
- Well, hell, come on over.
You're about to own this shit
streak of a fuckin' team.
Do you really wanna know
what's wrong with Johnson?
Lay it on me.
One thing.
He's too tall.
Huh.
Sorry, and that's
not a positive?
Well, for a five-man, sure,
but not for a
fuckin' ball handler.
His ball's gotta travel
twice as fuckin' far
- to reach his fingers.
- Right.
- He's a walking turnover.
- Yeah, but he's a hell of a passer!
He's a showboat!
He's too flashy to play
second fiddle to Kareem!
And that's reason
number fuckin' two!
Hold on now. Is
there a third reason?
(quietly): He smiles too much.
Yeah, this is a man's
game, and he's soft.
(laughs)
Looks awful nice on a
billboard though, Jerry.
Your cocksuckin' motherfuckin'
butt-fuckin' billboards
- don't play the game of fuckin' basketball!
- Whoa!
- Jerry! Jerry!
- Fucking busted my shaft, Pedro.
- Pedro: On it, Jer.
- Pro shop has him on a tab.
- He'll come around.
- Jerry Buss: He's got a real nice disposition.
- West: Fuckin' done...
- Hey, I'm with you, Jerry!
Go get yourself a Bloody
Mary! I'll see you up there!
He'll come around,
but if you're serious
about Johnson,
Jerry's not the guy we
gotta be worried about.
- What then, the big fella?
- Nah. The little one.
(deejay speaking on radio)
Tune in noon to 3:00 on KCYE...
Norm Nixon. Floor general,
and All-Star point guard
of the Los Angeles Lakers.
(ding)
(laughs) A-da-da-da-da!
Easy on the clear
coat, baby. Shit.
Word on the street is y'all
drafted Magic Johnson.
Mm. I'd sure like to
have me some of that.
- Mm-hmm.
- Ain't he a point guard, too, Norman?
(sighs) Look.
It's just a meetin'. He
ain't drafted yet. Calm down.
Oh no, that ain't what I heard.
Everybody in D-Town
saying it's a done deal.
Got to be an advantage being
a guard as tall as he is.
Yeah...
When you first came in here,
we thought you was the mailman.
(laughter)
- Gave you a stamp and everything!
- (mocking laughter)
- Kiss my Black ass, Sharice.
- Oh!
Listen, y'all don't know shit about
the game of basketball, Athena.
Look, they can draft
him if they want to.
I'll just run him off the floor.
Aw. Don't worry, Norman.
If you lose your minutes,
maybe Magic can pull your
little ass out of a hat.
(laughter)
Athena: I'm surprised Kareem...
Hey! It's my motherfuckin'
team, goddammit!
Sharice: Ooh... Okay.
It's my fuckin' team!
(customers laughter)
(clack)
Assistant Director:
Alright, we're set, boss.
Director: And action.
Wait a minute, I know you.
You're Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
You play center for
the Los Angeles Lakers.
I'm sorry, son,
but you must have me
confused with someone else.
My name is Roger Murdock.
I'm the copilot.
You are Kareem.
I've seen you play. My
dad's got season tickets.
I think you're the
greatest, but my dad says
you don't work hard
enough on defense.
And you don't really try
except during playoffs.
(stilted): The hell I don't!
Listen, kid, I've
been hearing that crap
ever since I was at UCLA.
I'm out here busting
my buns every night.
You tell your old man to
drag Walton and Lanier
up and down the
court for 48 minutes.
Director: Cut!
(overlapping chatter)
Why not... was OJ not available?
So, how was I?
You were great,
babe. Really killer.
I'm trying to do
what you told me to.
Trying to project
my inner warmth.
Mr. Abdul-Jabbar?
You really are my
favorite player.
Do you think maybe we
could take a picture?
Fuck off, kid.
(muttering): It's my
motherfuckin' team.
It's my motherfuckin' team.
Everybody talkin'
about "Magic, Magic."
Why is this nigga so magical?
Cap! Ca...
- Cap!
- (loud jazz playing)
This is your team, Cap!
Your team! Five-time NBA.
(fading out): Five-time...
(inaudible)
(jazz continues)
(muffled): Fuck no!
(muffled)
- I-I'm just saying...
- You know what I'm about to tell you,
- don't you, Norman?
- (jazz on headphones)
Fuck off?
- Please.
- But, cap, I'm just t...
(music continues)
(quietly): Okay. Alright.
You look great, Cheryl.
Cheryl: Thank you, Norman.
- (drumming)
- Nice drums.
♪ ♪
(gentle music playing)
♪ ♪
(car door shuts)
(laughs)
(car door shuts)
- Young man, welcome to the Forum.
- Thank you, thank you.
Cooke: This is my
associate, Dr. Buss.
- Jerry.
- Johnson: Jerry.
Jerry Buss. You the
one buyin' the team.
- Right?
- Yes, I am.
Sir.
- Pleasure to meet you.
- Jerry Buss: Pleasure.
Actually, our deal stipulates
that I steer the ship
on personnel decisions
- in the meantime.
- (laughs) Alright, Jack.
Cooke: This way, son.
You know what they say
about thoroughbreds?
You can judge one
by its appetite.
I hope you brought yours, son.
- Our chef prepared his specialty.
- Jerry Buss: Alright.
You're really pulling
out the stops here, Jack.
- Cooke: Oh yeah.
- (Jerry laughs)
(metal clinking)
- Cooke: Thank you, Tony.
- Jerry Buss: Ta-da!
Alright! (Clears
throat) Bon appetit!
Bon appetit.
I'm, uh, ahem,
I'm told you're a city
employee, Mr. Johnson.
Yes, sir. Saturdays and Sundays.
Weekdays, I'm on
the Chrysler line.
Cooke: Chrysler? (Laughs)
Small world. You'll get
a chuckle out of this.
Buss here is selling me
the Chrysler Building.
(quiet laughter)
Hmm.
I worked a mill line in Wyoming.
Never ate so good
or slept so well,
- I'll tell you that.
- I know that's right.
Buss. Yeah. That hard work,
it'll put you to sleep, huh?
- Not built for everybody.
- Jerry Buss: Mm.
What's the matter, son? You
haven't touched your food.
Um... (laughs)
I was wondering, like
- what is it?
- (Jerry laughs)
Sand dabs.
- Okay.
- Cooke: Th-they're sand dabs.
It's expensive is what it
is. It's a very fine fish.
A delicacy. Take my word for it.
Right.
Could I just get a cheeseburger?
(Jerry laughing) - Earvin
Johnson Sr.: Earvin. Earvin.
Come on, Jack. The kid's
19. Get him a burger.
You want one, too, Mr. Johnson?
- I'm alright.
- Tony?
Can you please get me a burger,
get this man a burger,
and get this young man
right here a burger,
with cheese and all that?
- Yeah, everything.
- Alright. Everything, the works.
Whatever you got.
You want one, Jack?
No, I'm enjoying my sand dab.
Okay, good. Good.
Thank you, Tony. (Clears throat)
(cutlery clinking)
You should be aware, young man,
that we haven't
settled on a pick yet.
That's cool. I haven't
settled on a team yet.
But, he's not opposed to a fair
offer either. Are you, son?
This is a draft,
not free agency.
Choice is ours. He
goes where he's told.
Or I go back to school,
turn pro next year
for a different team.
Huh.
I'm thinkin' 600,000.
(Jerry chuckling)
Look here, son. Lew Alcindor
is the league's biggest star.
- Kareem.
- Cooke: Same difference.
He's also one surly son
of a bitch negotiator,
and we closed at 650.
That's why six feels cool.
I mean, for now.
Plus tuition in the summertime,
so I can finish my degree,
and, you know, make Mama happy.
Jerry Buss: That's
important. (Laughs)
- Don't underestimate mom.
- Four.
And you can work your way
through school, young man,
just like I did.
Way I see it, Mr. Cooke,
basketball is my work.
And I'm worth six.
This dab ain't half bad.
Look here, boy.
Jerry Buss: Ah
- 400,000's our final offer.
- (Jerry coughs)
- (laughs)
- (Jerry coughs)
Mr. Cooke, do what you
want with your money.
Hey, Pop, let's go
see some movie stars.
Alright, boys!
We're all boys here,
right? (Clears throat)
We're gonna think it over.
I-I'll walk you
fellows out, alright?
That alright, Jack?
It was a good lunch.
I enjoyed that
salad, I'll tell you.
Johnson Sr.: We don't all get the
world right out the gate, son.
More money than I've
seen in my entire life.
That's what they're giving
you, and you say no?
Really thrilled,
especially my husband.
Look where we at, Pop.
We in this fancy-ass hotel.
They fly us out first class.
They do all that shit
to get you primed up,
so you jump at the first offer
they put in front of your face.
Earvin, pull your
head out your ass.
All I know is you got 400,000
in the one hand,
nothing in the other.
- Pretty simple choice to me.
- That's you, Pop.
When I first got to Everett
with all them white kids,
I was scared as hell.
I could've looked down
and kept it moving,
but I didn't.
I looked them right in the eyes,
gave them a smile and
a State Championship.
(laughs)
And now, they love
them some Magic.
Just figured out a different
way to deal with them is all.
I learned how to
make 'em feel good.
You figure 'em out
just like that?
(laughs) You can have pretty
much anything you want.
You know how many times I went
left when I should've gone right?
Hm?
Smiled when there
was nothing funny?
Took less than I deserved,
but bowed my head and said,
"Thank you, sir,"
so you could keep your
mind on playing ball?
- Pop...
- And for all that,
I get you... telling me
you know something
about this life I don't?
Pop!
(phone ringing)
Hello?
(applause on TV)
Hey, Dr. Buss, what's up?
West: I mean, Moncrief's
my fuckin' guy.
No, Mon-Moncrief is
100% my fuckin' guy.
Come fucking business time,
he was putting up 26, 27, 28.
He really posted
the same numbers.
Scotch and soda.
("Papa Loves Mambo"
by Perry Como playing)
What you got there, Jer?
Pictures of your sister.
Sharman says you're
drafting Magic.
(laughs, mutters)
You thi... think
I... Is that right?
Hey, what kind of
doctor are you anyway?
Physical chemistry.
- Hm.
- Believe it or not,
I used to help design
missiles for the government.
But one day, I realized
I'd rather build things
than blow 'em up.
That was the end of that.
Heavy, man.
Earvin, that's what I
wanna do with the Lakers.
I wanna build something special.
Hm.
But I need a partner.
That mean we got a deal?
W... I take you out
for a nice burger,
you just wanna hit me
again with that? (Laughs)
600 is a lot, let me tell you.
You know what the Celtics
just paid Larry Bird?
(laughs)
- Yeah, I see you smiling.
- (laughing)
I mean, I don't see the
difference between me and him.
You know, except...
- I kind of did whoop his ass for the national championship.
- Yeah, you did.
- (laughs)
- Come on.
I'm gonna take you
one more place.
You wanna drive?
- Yeah!
- Cool.
(funky music playing)
Is that Diana Ross?
Jerry Buss: Yes, it is.
(laughs) - And next to
her is Miss December.
I just paid for her
sophomore year of college.
Great gal. You wanna meet her?
- (women laughing)
- (Magic laughs nervously)
These ain't
round-the-way-girls, like...
Now, the ladies love Magic,
but those are stars.
Let me let you in on a
little secret, Earvin.
So are you.
(scoffs)
Far out, man. Far out.
Ooh! This is my
favorite part. (Laughs)
(playing electric organ)
Welcome to the legendary.
Horn Nightclub!
- (funk music)
- (applause)
And now, introducing
the glamorous Horn Girls!
(cheering, whistling)
♪ Leave your worries
at the doorstep ♪
♪ Take your honeys by the hand ♪
♪ Tap your feet, a
little two-step ♪
♪ Get ready for
the promised land ♪
♪ It's showtime ♪
It's showtime!
I don't know why basketball
can't feel like that.
To me, Dr. Buss, it do.
(music stops)
Mrs. Rothman!
Get the hell in here!
(soft music)
What can I do for you?
Feel this.
I'm sorry?
Come on, Mrs. Rothman.
Poke it.
With your finger.
Does that feel medium to you?
Uh...
I'm not much of a cook,
Mr. Cooke.
Repeat after me, Mrs. Rothman.
I...
- I.
- Will not!
- Will not.
- (belches)
(quietly): Excuse me.
I'm gonna take this to
the kitchen for you.
Have you seen this?
Did you see the paper?
- (sighs)
- Claire Rothman: I haven't, no.
Cooke: Take a read.
Out loud.
(Claire sighs)
"Mogul Cooke cited for
"cruel and inhumane treatment
in largest divorce
settlement in history."
My goddamn obituary.
First line, mark my words
after 30... years.
Joy to millions.
Inspiration to the fucking kids.
This is how I get remembered!
(soft music continues)
I could find another way,
you know, to pay the bitch.
Suppose this deal
fell through with...
Mr. Playboy Bunny-fucker.
Jerry Buss: Look at
this. Says the Lakers
are drafting Sidney
Moncrief, shooting guard.
Says the source comes from
somebody in the front office.
What, and you think I told him?
Oh, fuck that.
Fuck you, too. Fuck no.
Doesn't matter
where they got it.
- Does fucking matter.
- No, it doesn't matter
because what matters is
this. It's not the truth.
Alright? We're picking Johnson.
(stammers, sighs)
- That's a big mistake. It is.
- Well...
Alright, it's a mistake.
But, we're doing
it, alright? Look,
- Moncrief is a fine player. He...
- Great. Player.
Moncrief is a great player.
And you know what,
Jerry? Fuck this.
He's also a better scorer by
five fuckin' points a game.
Which is exactly what this
fuckin' team needs to win!
Yeah. And Johnson's a star.
So was I! A fuckin' star!
I could pass behind my
back, over my fucking head.
I co... Hell, I could pass it out
my fucking asshole if you wanted.
Do you know what? You
wanna know what it got me?
- Do you wanna fucking know what it got me?
- (slams table)
It got me sweet fuck-all!
It got me this, a
fucking movie prize!
Here it is. Ho-ho-ho!
Hey, welcome him in, here he is!
Jerry Fucking West, MVP,
the most valuable
fuckin' loser award!
1969 Celtics 4,
Lakers 3, Jerry West!
Winning and fucking losin'.
You know what?
Cooke sent me out there
to be his star, too.
Got me to sell his tickets.
And every year we lost, he
still cashed his checks.
But I'm the one that's
gotta live with it.
I'm the one that's gotta
have the nightmares
with these Boston Irish
motherfuckers flooding the floor.
Announcer: The always hustling,
always chasing Jerry West,
with a final tally that
was heart-breaking...
Do you think I like that?
Announcer: A series
that could have
truly gone either way...
I can still smell the halitosis.
You got any idea
what that's like?
- Huh? Do you fucking know what that feels like?
- Probably pretty lousy...
No, you fuckin' don't!
'Cause this is not your life.
No, this is just a
business deal to you.
Yes, sir.
So go on. Why don't you go ahead
and just tell me who I
should fuckin' draft?
(slams trophy)
Yeah. Fuck it.
Jerry Buss: You're
a great man, Jerry.
I'm looking forward
to working with ya.
- I can't do this anymore.
- Hey, listen.
I used to drink
a lot of bourbon.
I switched to vodka.
You can smell it less.
Just a tip.
("The Dancing Bumblebee"
by Neil Diamond playing)
♪ ♪
- Whites only, sir.
- What now?
It's a white party.
You have to wear white to enter.
♪ ♪
Oh. (Laughs) Alright.
See, it's a LA thing. See,
I was about to show you
what we do in Michigan when
we hear something like that.
I see, sir. Let me assist you.
This ain't a bad
jacket right here.
(party chatter)
♪ And when the hot
winds blow tonight ♪
♪ ♪
You know, finders keepers.
It's the finders keep...
Hey! There he is! Earvin!
- Dr. Buss.
- How you doing? You found the place!
- I'm so glad you came. Come here.
- Yes, sir.
I wanna introduce you
to the big swinging dick
- that owns this joint.
- Okay.
Don Sterling? Earvin Johnson.
You weren't kiddin', Jerry.
You bought yourself a big one.
(ding)
- Wow.
- (patting)
So muscular. Wow.
Jerry Buss: Alright, hands
off the merchandise, Don.
Well, how you like the
California girls, huh?
- Johnson: I'm likin' 'em.
- This is Sienna.
- Nice to meet you.
- And here we have Tasha.
Have some champagne
before the coke.
It's much better that way.
This kid's from Michigan.
He's not into that stuff just
yet, but we'll get to it.
- We'll get to it. Mind if I show him the place, Don?
- Yeah. Sure, Jerry.
- So magnificent.
- Don's always threatening to buy himself a team,
but he's too cheap. Throws
a decent shindig, though.
♪ Oh, so hard to understand... ♪
- How you doing?
- Norm Nixon: How you doing, man?
- You look fabulous.
- Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Hey, I want you
to meet somebody.
This is Earvin Johnson.
Nixon: No shit.
If it ain't the Magic Man!
- Hey!
- Stormin' Norman Nixon.
- What's up, brother?
- Boys,
I have two dear friends in
the Jacuzzi waiting for me,
so I'm gonna let you get to
know each other, alright?
- Oh shit!
- Be nice, Norm.
- Get that tail, Buss. Get that tail, Dr. Buss.
- (laughing)
Okay.
Hey, you ready to show
these people what's up?
- Where you from again, man? Ohio?
- Lansing. Michigan.
Nixon: Oh, country nigga.
♪ ♪
- (scattered cheering)
- Big country's got some game.
Woo!
(crowd reacts, applause)
So, how you likin'
Cali so far, man?
It's cool.
People seem cool.
Dr. Buss seems cool.
Let me give you a little advice
though, my man, real quick.
- Go back to college.
- (ball hits backboard)
(ball bouncing)
Guards in this league,
are six-two, six-three at best.
And most of 'em are
lightning-fast. Quick hands.
And they all shoot
better than you.
And take a brother's
word for it.
This league ain't
the place for you
to be figuring out
a new position.
No, you'd be running
your post moves
while these grown men pick
your pocket, Cincinnati.
- It's Lansing.
- Yeah.
Ah, I don't give a fuck.
- (swish)
- (cheering)
Game is five.
♪ I'm a boogie woogie, baby,
if you wanna see me boogie ♪
♪ All you gotta
do is wind me up ♪
Nixon: Come on.
- Ooh!
- (cheering)
I'm in fox, so I gotta take
this shit off real quick.
- Johnson: Oh, the fox too hot for you?
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Johnson: Let me
take off my jacket.
Let-let-let me get a
little bit relaxed.
Alright.
- I don't know about that.
- You ready?
A-a-are you ready? This
ain't Indiana, boy.
This ain't Larry Bird. This
is the goddamn NBA defense.
- What you got? Come on. What you got?
- Oh, you're on defense.
- You gonna hold deep?
- Come on. Yeah, yeah, yeah...
Crowd: Oh!
(cheering)
(singing funk song)
♪ ♪
Let me take you down
to the post real quick.
You ready? Oh!
- Oh! Oh! Excuse me.
- (crowd oohing)
- Come on, Magic!
- (clapping)
Magic, come here,
come here, come here.
Can you do math?
- I know you aren't that smart.
- (crowd oohing)
Oh shit. Okay, okay, okay.
I'm fuckin' with you.
(laughs) Here we go.
♪ ♪
- (music stops)
- Slow.
- (insects chirping)
- (quiet laughter)
Can you understand that?
We goin' slow, boy.
We going slow.
Is-is-isn't that how.
(Southern accent): You
country boys be talkin'
o-o-out there, o-o-out there in,
uh, Michigan? Yeah? Okay.
- Here we go. Here we go. Here we go.
- (dribbling)
(speeding up): Here
we go. Here we go.
Here we go. Here... Oh!
- Oh shit! Oh!
- Crowd: Oh!
(crowd cheering)
Excuse me!
You know,
maybe stay in college
one more year.
Play with your
friends in the dorm.
That's cute.
Woo! Can I get my
jacket? Thank you, baby.
Alright, take care now, boy.
(somber music playing)
Young Johnson: Oh! Monroe!
Guarded! Johnson! Oh! Oh!
(fading out): Oh,
Johnson! Johnson! Oh...
Don't use your power
when you dribbling!
- Use your fingertips!
- I took, like, four or five steps.
- Now, he's got the ball!
- Johnson Sr.: Keep your hands up!
- Keep your eyes straight ahead!
- Young Johnson: JV!
Johnson Sr.: Look
straight ahead!
(Young Johnson chattering)
Go, ball, go! I won! (Cheering)
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
(knocking)
Come in.
You wanted to see me?
How's your first week going?
- Jeanie Buss: Good, good.
- Good.
I figured out the Xerox.
- That's the hardest part.
- (laughs)
Jeanie Buss: Is everything okay?
(exhales)
Dondo Obrigado.
A kid I knew in grade school.
First boy whose dick I saw.
(scoffs) Not by choice.
He'd run around the lockers,
flashing all the
girls, screaming,
(nasally): "Take a good look!
Remember this! Remember this!"
It didn't leave
a big impression.
But he did. Dondo.
I have been meeting
Dondos my whole life.
They usually park their asses
back in that corner office.
Everyone's a little different,
but everyone's the same.
Every day they spin the wheel,
and wherever it lands,
that's the woman I
need to be that day.
And you think my
dad is one of them?
(sighs)
Well... is he?
I'm taking real good care of it.
Jerry Buss (on phone):
Remember when we used to go
out to Catalina on that thing?
Oh, fuck off, Jerry,
what do you want?
I need the loan.
It's my money, goddammit!
Jerry Buss: I know
it's your money, JoAnn.
You deserve that money.
You know, I'm not asking
you to give it to me.
I'm asking you to loan it to me,
to make me a loan that
you will get back.
Mm...
Have you asked your
horrible friends?
You don't think this is my
first call? I called everybody.
- I got nothing left to sell.
- Goddammit.
- When have I ever steered you wrong before?
- (laughs)
Alright, touché. Yeah.
Besides convincing you
to marry me, what else?
- It's my fucking money!
- Is that what you want me to say?
Yeah, I cheated on you.
She was a figure skater...
This call is not
about our marriage.
This call is-is a financial
call, and I'm begging you.
- Uh-huh.
- I'm begging you.
I'm begging you.
Listen, do you know that Jeanie
is already working there?
- No, no, no, no, don't you bring her into this!
- Well, she's in it!
I can't help it. She's in
it. She works there now,
and she's got her
little heart set on it.
She's got her heart set on you.
Well, good! I'm her dad.
Is that a bad thing?
(sighs)
- I'll call the bank.
- Thank you.
Thank you, Jo. You are not
gonna regret this, I promise.
JoAnn: (laughing) Yeah, okay...
What, she's in?
♪ To dream the
impossible dream... ♪
She's gonna lend us the
last $2 million, Frank.
(singing continues) -You beautiful
son of a bitch. We got it!
- We got it? Oh my god...
- We got all of it!
- Mwah!
- Don't you kiss me.
- Don't you kiss me.
- Thank God for ex-wives, huh?
I feel like one right
now. I love you! Magic.
Hey, Dad. Uh, do
you have a minute?
- (door closes)
- What happened?
It's Cooke.
He's going to ask for
all of it in cash.
The whole amount because he
knows you'll come up short.
Rothman: It's not
business. It's personal.
He wants to fuck you
like you're Miss July.
Why are you telling
me this, Claire?
Uh, (scoffs) I just
wanna do my job.
You work for Cooke.
I think I'd rather work for you.
(on television): This
sure is a creepy shortcut!
Are you sure we're
going the right way?
We did not come out
here to California
to sit in some dark-ass room
and miss all this
beautiful sunshine.
- You've been in here all day.
- (TV continues)
I don't know, Pop.
- (Johnson sighs)
- What you don't know?
I come in here,
everybody gassin' me up, saying
I'ma be the next big thing.
But, what if I go out
there with all this height,
and fall flat on my ass?
Then what?
I'll go back to Lansing?
Well, I can think
of worse things.
At least you got people
there who love you.
I just don't wanna be
Lansing's tallest garbage man.
Pop, I'm...
No, no...
(sighs)
When you were still
inside your mother
we'd stay up some nights,
holding each other in
that Lansing in cold,
just dreaming about your future.
One night,
it'd be Dr. Johnson.
Next night,
maybe a judge.
Never in a million
years did I believe,
or even think, pro ball.
If you're not ready
for this league yet,
go on back to school, son.
If you're not ready ever,
I don't care. I love you.
You hear me?
My bottom line
won't change, son.
Never will.
(funky music playing)
The humble home of
Jack Kent Cooke!
Lives in California, but
he has to make it seem like
he's the goddamn
Queen of England.
I know what he's planning,
and if you think that gave me
enough time to hustle up the
extra cash, you're wrong.
I'm dead in the water.
But, you know why I love swans?
The most graceful bird on Earth,
but underneath the water,
they're paddlin'
up a fuckin' storm.
(splashing)
Well
these are the deeds
of the properties as agreed.
Assessed value of 33.75 million.
You already have
my 18 down, and, uh
this check should
cover the rest.
You know I have the right
to demand all of it in cash
instead?
(laughs)
Well, Jack, then I'd
be up shit creek.
And so would you.
Watch me paddle, motherfuckers.
So you can kill this deal,
and you can fleece me
for my whole down payment,
but you're still going to owe
your ex-wife a
whole lot of money.
And then, you're gonna
have to find another buyer
for a franchise in a league
that most sane people
think is sinking
like a hard turd in a toilet.
I mean, that's the facts, Jack.
So, if we're playing poker,
no. I don't have the cards.
But Jack, I think
we're playing chicken.
And I like those odds
a whole lot better.
(clicks tongue)
We will accept the
properties in trade.
(clears throat) That
was always my plan,
to take the properties in trade.
- Great.
- (ding)
(distant siren)
Rothman: What's going
on? Did someone die?
Worse.
Jerry Buss: Well, shit. (Laughs)
The office girl said she could
get us on the first flight home.
Jerry Buss: Yeah.
Back to college.
Earvin, are you sure
there's nothing I can do
to change your mind?
I-I'm sorry, Dr. Buss.
It's just, um...
Just timing, I guess. Um...
Just think I need another year.
(flips cards)
(flips cards)
(inhales)
Well, you know your heart, son.
- You had a pretty good time.
- Johnson: Yeah.
Give me a second.
I'll walk you out.
I'm just gonna
grab my coat here.
(fluorescent lights buzzing)
(sniffs)
This is Jerry. Missed
that shot. (Laughs)
(clears throat)
Beautiful form, though.
Johnson: Great player.
Wait a minute.
(sighs) Well, crap.
I think I just got us
lost. (laughs) Uh...
You know what? Hang tight.
I'm gonna find someone
to get us out of here.
I don't have the
place memorized yet!
Just wait right there.
Just wait right there.
Sorry, Earvin!
I'll be right back!
(buzzing continues)
♪ ♪
(funky guitar riff)
♪ ♪
(bouncing echoes)
Johnson: He has the ball.
He brings it downcourt.
He crosses.
He goes between his legs.
He crosses. He spins.
He takes it to the right...
Oh!
He makes the layup!
Oh! He gets the
rebound! Oh my gosh!
A guard that can rebound
like that? That's amazing!
He brings the ball downcourt.
It's the Magic Man
puttin' on a show.
He's doing it! He's doing it!
He goes left!
He goes up!
Throws it! Ah! He
throws the ball!
Lakers win! Lakers
win! Lakers win...
♪ ♪
(panting)
♪ ♪
The first pick,
of the 1979 NBA draft,
the Los Angeles Lakers select...
Earvin "Magic" Johnson.
Reporter: What should the fans expect?
Can this team make a title run?
You tell them if they like
basketball, come on out.
The Lakers are
already a great team.
With me? It's gonna be exciting.
Reporter 1: Earvin, will
they miss you in Michigan?
Reporter 2: Are you ready for the
glitz and glamour of Los Angeles?
Jerry Buss: There he is!
♪ ♪
(door slams)
(Jerry West sighs)
("Night And Day" playing)
(neon lights buzzing)
♪ Like the beat, beat,
beat of the tom-tom ♪
♪ When the jungle shadows fall ♪
♪ Like the tick tick tock
of the stately clock... ♪
Reporter (on TV):
Magic Johnson became
the second-highest-paid
rookie in NBA history today
behind Larry Bird,
singing a contract
for half a million
dollars a year.
With such an
astronomical salary,
expectations will be sky-high...
♪ So a voice within me ♪
♪ Keeps repeating ♪
♪ You, you, you... ♪
♪ Night and day ♪
♪ You are the one ♪
♪ Only you beneath the moon... ♪
Well...
I own this. (Laughs)
♪ It's no matter, darling ♪
(laughing)
♪ Where you are,
I think of you ♪
(coughing)
I fuckin' own this.
(laughing) Ah!
(wild laughter)
♪ That this longing for you... ♪
I fucking own this.
♪ ...follows wherever I go ♪
(sighs)
I fucking own this!
(laughs)
(screams)
♪ Are you ready now? ♪
♪ To get on down ♪
(funky guitar riff)
♪ Get on down, baby ♪
♪ Get on down ♪
♪ And boogie around ♪
♪ I say, people
across the nation ♪
♪ You've got yourselves
a good creation ♪
♪ People across
the nation, yeah ♪
♪ You've got yourselves
a good vibration ♪
♪ You're sending out
good vibrations ♪
♪ You've got yourselves
a good vibration ♪
♪ Are you ready? ♪
♪ Are you ready now? ♪
♪ Are you ready? ♪
♪ Are you ready now? ♪
♪ To get on down ♪
♪ ♪