Kobe Bryant appears in Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty episode 5 as a baby, raising questions about whether or not he was really in attendance for the Los Angeles Lakers' 1979 opening game. HBO's 2022 TV show chronicles a franchise-changing era for the California-based NBA team after Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly) buys the team and drafts Earvin 'Magic' Johnson (Quincy Isaiah) with the first overall pick. This is the beginning of the Lakers becoming an NBA dynasty with Magic and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Solomon Hughes) throughout the 1980s, and Winning Time continues to play with what really happened to craft its narrative.
While Winning Time features two of the greatest Los Angeles Lakers players ever in Magic and Kareem, there are plenty of other legendary players to wear the purple and gold who will be left out. Based on the 1980s setting, it was expected that Kobe Bryant would be among those not featured. However, the show delivers a surprise in that regard, as Kobe is not only mentioned as part of Spencer Haywood's storyline, but a baby Kobe Bryant is also present in Winning Time episode 5. This comes during the Los Angeles Lakers' opening game in 1979 against the San Diego Clippers. But was Kobe really at Magic Johnson's first NBA game?
There is no direct confirmation that Kobe Bryant was at the Lakers' 1979 opening game in real life. However, there is a strong case to be made that he would've been at the game. Kobe Bryant's father Joe 'Jellybean' Bryant played for the San Diego Clippers that season, as Winning Time episode 5 shows shots of his jersey a few times. It would make sense then if a baby Kobe Bryant was in attendance for the start of the Clippers' season. Kobe Bryant was born on August 23, 1978, so he'd be just over a year old when the Clippers and Lakers played at the start of the 1979 NBA season in Winning Time.
Winning Time episode 5 sneaks in its baby Kobe Bryant cameo during the final seconds of the Lakers' 1979 opening game. Legendary broadcaster Chick Hearn makes mention of it during the final timeout before Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's game-winning shot. Since Winning Time changed the true story of this moment already by giving the Lakers more time on the clock, having Magic Johnson inbound the ball, and so on, it wouldn't be surprising if Kobe's appearance was another fabrication.
Even if baby Kobe Bryant wasn't at the Lakers' 1979 season opener, this is one change of the true story Winning Time viewers could be fine with. The show obviously isn't focusing on the Los Angeles Lakers during the late 1990s and onward when Kobe was on the team. However, this gives this series an opportunity to still highlight his place within Lakers history and even strengthens his ties to the franchise. Or perhaps this is Winning Time's way of setting up a second season following Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal's dominance.
New episodes of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty release every Sunday on HBO/HBO Max at 9pm EST.