In HBO’s 1980s L.A. Lakers series, Bo Burnham will portray Larry Bird.

In HBO’s 1980s L.A. Lakers series, Bo Burnham will portray Larry Bird.

According to Deadline, Adam McKay’s Los Angeles Lakers HBO drama series, which is based on Jeff Pearlman’s book Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s, has selected Bo Burnham (eighth grade) to play legendary Boston Celtics player Larry Bird. HBO declined to respond.

The fast-break series, written by Max Borenstein, follows the career and personal journey of the Lakers of the 1980s, one of the most prestigious and powerful sports dynasties in history – a team that shaped its time both on and off the court.

With their games drawing big TV audiences, the Lakers and Celtics rivalry helped shape the NBA in the 1980s, and Bird was a key player in that.

Michael Chiklis as Red Auerbach, Sally Field as Jessie Buss, Adrien Brody as Pat Riley, Jason Clarke as Jerry Buss, Solomon Hughes as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Gaby Hoffmann as Claire Rothman, Hadley Robinson as Jeanie Buss, DeVaughn Nixon as Norm Nixon, Molly Gordon as Linda Zafrani, Rob Morgan as Earvin Johnson Sr., Spencer Garrett as Chick Hearn, Kirk Bovill as Donald Sterling, Delante Desouza as Michael Cooper, Stephen Adly Guirgis as Frank Mariani, Tamera Tomakili as Earletha “Cookie” Kelly, Jason Segel as Paul Whitehead, and Joey Brooks as Lon Rosen are among the cast members that Burnham joins.

McKay’s Hyperobject Industries is producing. Borenstein executive produces with McKay, who is directing the pilot, and Kevin Messick for Hyperobject Industries. Jim Hecht is co-writer of the story and executive produces along with Jason Shuman, Scott Stephens and Rodney Barnes.

Burnham, who started off as a comedian, won the 2019 DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in first-time feature film for Eighth Grade, which he also wrote. He most recently appeared in Promising Young Woman, which has been nominated for five Oscars.