HBO's 'Winning Time' Won't Be Returning for a Third Season

HBO has revealed some upsetting news about Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, and it comes only a short time after the finale of the show's second season aired on Sunday night. The network told The Hollywood Reporter that the series will not be renewed for a third season.

The show's co-creator, Max Borenstein, took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his thoughts on the decision, writing, "Not the ending that we had in mind. But nothing but gratitude and love." But he wasn't the only one with something to say about the matter. In an Instagram post, director Salli Richardson wrote, "When you give it everything you’ve got, you can have no regrets. I hope you enjoy the last episode of @winningtimehbo I am sure I will do many more hours of TV and hopefully many features in my future, but I can say that at this moment in time I am most proud of the work we did on this masterful show."

Richardson had previously told The Hollywood Reporter that she hoped the show gets renewed for a third season, depending on how the second-season finale ended. "Obviously, you see how the season ends. So we would love to have, at the very least, even though we can do this for years, one more season so that we can get the Lakers winning against the Celtics. We don’t want to end with the Celtics winning. That’s awful," she explained. “I think people have realized this season that if you just watch the show instead of judging the show without seeing it, it’s a great show. It’s a well-written show with unbelievable performances. And you don’t have to be a basketball fan to enjoy it. I think that what Jeff was trying to say is that he just hopes that people find this little gem that’s out there, because it really is a great show and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

The series, which premiered in March 2022, portrays the rise of the Lakers in the NBA in the early 1980s. But even though like the spotlight has dimmed on this production, one thing's for sure - the LA-based NBA team will continue to dominate for years to come.