An actor portraying Abdul-Jabbar would need to have a high level of gravitas in order to capture his intellectual acuity. The creator of Winning Time said that it was the hardest part of the show. When Solomon Hughes walked through the door, Borenstein and Maisler knew they had a winner. One of the challenges of casting Kareem is that he doesn't have to look and feel like a basketball player. We all know that Kareem is an intellectual with gravitas. We have to find the right person to portray this icon. Hughes had never acted before taking on the role of the Lakers center. He was from the world of education. At Duke University, he is an instructor at the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity. The intersectionality of athletics and activism is the focus of his courses. He was an administrator and lecturer in the graduate school of education at the time he was at Duke. Hughes embodies the intellectual curiosity of the Lakers legend. He was a captain of the men's basketball team at the University of California at Berkeley, where he completed both his M.A. and B.A. I worked with the Harlem Globetrotters. Hughes has the physical attributes to play the role of the 7-foot-2 Kareem. In Winning Time, Hughes shows his love for jazz and politics. In preparation for Sunday's episode, Hughes spoke with Deadspin about portraying the all-time points leader in NBA history and an intellectual giant. For your first acting performance, you're portraying one of the most legendary players to ever play a professional sport. Did you make any reservations? That is a great question. My reservations were wondering if I had the confidence to completely immerse myself in this story. I think my reservations were more personal. I am thankful that I was welcomed into this community by people who were dedicated to their work and who made it easier to adjust to the level of work they were committed to. At the end of the day, I admired the person I've known for my entire life, Kareem. I admire who he is as a person and what he has done for society. You want to honor him. It's fancy. An Always-on Retina display can measure blood oxygen, is dust resistant, swim-proof, and give you information about your health.
DS: What were you most worried about?
We are all understood to some degree. In terms of the things he is interested in and what he is involved with, there is a depth to him. The intellectual avenues that he pursues are immense. My hope is that fans appreciate a guy who was able to pursue excellence on the basketball court because of the way he has lived his life. It was done five times with this group. Even with all the distraction of Hollywood, stay focused.
DS: What did you think of Magic and Kareem's relationship?
When Magic announced to the world he had HIV, I always thought of his press conference. One of the people in the room was Kareem. That speaks to a group of people. The court was golden when I watched them on the floor. It was like dancing on a golden floor. There was joy and enthusiasm coming from that. There is a lot of reverence they have for each other. They accomplished a lot.
How did you approach your relationship with Quincy? Did the two of you spend time together behind the scenes, or did you separate yourself from him so you wouldn't get to know him?
Not at all. I became friends with Quincy. The deeper and more authentic our friendship got, the more vulnerable we could get to portray some of the tension. I didn't think I could do this with anyone else.
DS: How did you get in shape? What kind of drills did you use to perfect your movements?
The pilot was shot in 2019. I was on the court every day when I got the part. Jump hooks are from every angle. From the free-throw line to the inside. We were all isolated. I found an outdoor court. Every single day. There were no off days when I joined the rest of the cast. When we weren't filming, we were usually doing basketball moves. There was a lot of intense training. There were lots of sprints. Lots of exercise. A lot of exercise. I'm 43 years old and I'm the veteran of the crew. Being around the younger guys made me feel younger. My body didn't agree with me at the end of the workouts.
DS: What made you want to quit the game after playing with the Globetrotters?
The things that are external to the game influence the game. Even if I just walk to the park to get some shots up, it's so beautiful, it's therapeutic. I get a lot of joy from that simple act. That's a machine, having played college basketball. Professional sports are under the guise of amateurism. As a college basketball player, you are in programs where a coach who is supposed to be an educator is reliant on wins and losses. The only column people pay attention to is it. It doesn't matter if his players are thriving as individuals or students. The wins and losses are what it is. You're going to feel that pressure if that hangs over his head. The way college sports are set up puts a lot of pressure on everyone. I felt that.
Hearing how the writers and producers are fans of the game has been wonderful. I love the game and have gotten a new appreciation for it.
A lot of what you are saying and the way you spoke about sports reminds me of William Rhoden's book. Did you read books about sports in order to understand the climate at that time?
For sure. I wanted to learn more about the Black American experience in the 70s. The person had a good idea of what was happening. The research to get into this character was intense but rewarding. I wanted to know more about how he developed his mind.
DS: Which issues do you align the most closely with?
Kareem talks a lot about being curious. Like looking into the unknown. It's about changing your assumptions about people. I believe he is a learner. I think he is curious about a lot of things. There is liberation in not being locked into a place where you know everything. You need to think in different ways. That is a personal philosophy of mine as well. My dad always made sure that we paid attention to the fact that he was an incredible basketball player, but also that he had a really important history in how he dealt with civil rights issues.
Some of the people portrayed in Winning Time, like Magic Johnson and Jerry West, have responded. Have you had a chance to chat with him?
I have not.
Do you see yourself working on other projects? There are some projects in the works.
I hope so. We hope to get a second season. We want to tell more of the story.
When you were growing up in California, who was your favorite player?
Kobe and I were the same age as I was. Kobe and I were in the same gym. Before that, it was the Van Exel Lakers. Van Exel was my favorite laker. He was fun to watch. And Eddie Jones. Kobe and Shaq were a fun team to follow.
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