Summary
Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers continues to be the BEST series running on TV.
This recap of the Hulu series Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers season 1, episode 9 contains spoilers.
Last week on Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers, it was the Kobe show with us seeing how, in a flip of a switch, he became a star to superstar post-Shaq. So what will we see that story unfold this week? Let’s dive in.
The chatter begins on what Jerry Buss’s lasting legacy would be. Who would take over what, but ultimately, whoever did, he wanted them to carry on the Lakers legacy by winning more championships after he was gone? Nothing was laid out about what would happen post-death, but the family knew it would be a bloodbath.
Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers season 1, episode 9 recap
We have a rematch of the NBA finals from two years ago, with the Lakers taking on the Celtics. The last time these two teams met, the Celtics mopped the floor with them. It was the 12th time they would go head to head with the storied franchise, but the Lakers were on the losing end nine times. However, they had a more refined team this time and felt they had the pieces to make it over the hump.
The Lakers were down double-digits in game seven, but the lakers fought back with the help of Ron Artest to win the championship. Then, in a funny moment that I think we all remember, Kobe said in the post-game press conference, “I got one more than Shaq.” It’s funny now to look back at this moment and think this would’ve been a HUGE deal if we were in the day and age of social media.
Trying to three-peat is something that isn’t that easy. From Phil Jackson in the middle of battling cancer to the team feeling all out of sorts, the Lakers found themselves getting swept by the Mavericks was embarrassing. Phil Jackson walked away from coaching amid the sweep to deal with his health concerns.
People often forget how free agency, coaching changes, and players find their own formed this massive shift in franchise winning title after title after title. Teams would stay together in the 70s/80s and even in the early 90s. You didn’t see much poaching in players. However, as the money started to flood, players and coaches shifted more frequently. As you see in this episode with the Lakers, all good things end in modern-day sports. It’s hard repeating, let alone three-peating.
The drama within this series is second to none and matches any running TV drama airing weekly. You see a bunch of that with the battle between Brian Shaw and Jimmy Buss. They retell the stories of Shaw not getting hired at the time entirely differently. These two exchanging barbs are one of the better things you will see in this episode. Less than a year after being with the Lakers, Brown was fired. More drama ensues when we hear the story of approaching Phil Jackson out of retirement.
The aftermath of Jerry Buss passing away felt like it altered the course of Laker’s history. From the Buss family in chaos to the injuries to Kobe, nothing seemed to be going right for the once-storied franchise. You started to see a team that couldn’t put the pieces together to contend, which caused people not to show up in the stands.
Overall, I know I say this week in and week out, but Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers is hands down one of the best shows airing weekly. It has some incredible storytelling filled with drama, great editing, and even better direction. It is must watch series. One last note, the montage of Kobe Bryant’s final game that ends this episode will have you in tears.
What did you think of the Hulu documentary series Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers season 1, episode 9? Comment below.
