It’s official. Hulu will be partnering with the Los Angeles Lakers for a nine-part documentary TV series that will air in 2022. The news came today from the Lakers and Hulu themselves after Lakers governor Jeanie Buss teased the project in late April on the “All the Smoke” podcast with Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes.
Below is the full press release regarding the docu-series (courtesy of Ryan Ward of Lakers Nation).
The series details the past four decades of the Lakers, and contains colorful and emotional new interviews from over 35 people within the organization, including the Buss family, legendary coaches Pat Riley and Phil Jackson, and NBA Hall of Famers Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, and team captain Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, among numerous other current and former players. Also featured are interviews with a range of high-profile fans and a treasure trove of archival footage featuring never-before-seen interviews with the Lakers late owner, Jerry Buss.
Nine-part docuseries on the Lakers will debut on @hulu in 2022, according the following press release sent out by the team today: pic.twitter.com/JgMgsQSCwV
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) May 10, 2021
Here is the transcript of what Jeanie Buss had to say about the docu-series on the “All the Smoke” podcast (h/t Silver Screen & Roll):
“We are making a nine-part docuseries about the Lakers starting from when my dad bought the team in ‘79. Very much, I think people enjoyed ‘The Last Dance,’ so we’re going to give the fans what they’re hungry for.
“The docuseries will tell the story, especially in the context of my dad buying the team until we won the championship last year, and how it all weaves together and how my dad had really hoped there would be a day that Magic and I would work together, running the team. It was Magic coming back and standing with me, beside me, that helped me make the changes that were necessary in order to get the team back to being competitive. My dad really saw that.”
This documentary series is separate from other previously rumored/confirmed series surrounding the Lakers including the scripted HBO “Showtime” series, as well as documentaries focused on Magic Johnson and the late Kobe Bryant.
