AceShowbiz - Quincy Isaiah's "life changed" as soon as he was cast as Magic Johnson. The 26-year-old actor can be seen portraying the basketball legend in "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty", which chronicles the iconic Los Angeles team's 1980s "showtime" era, and he recalled how he "started screaming" when he received a call from producer Adam McKay confirming he'd landed the role.

"I had to hit mute, and just started screaming. I called my mom and she did the same, her Pomeranian running in circles around her," the Kalamazoo College graduate recalled. "My life changed, you know?"

Quincy hasn't met Magic, whose real name is Earvin, yet but hopes to in the future. He said, "To be able to do what he did during that time period with his [HIV] diagnosis – it's legendary."

The role was a dream for the lifelong sports fan. He told Britain's Vanity Fair magazine, "I played basketball all my life, all summer long. I would go to football practice, come home, and then play basketball the rest of the day…. Then video games. It was lovely. Take me back!"

The show also stars Adrien Brody and Gaby Hoffmann but it was John C. Reilly who really kept his castmates motivated. Quincy said, "John still gives it the same on the 14th hour as the first and it's a trickle-down effect. No ego on this set."

Quincy is now hopeful "Winning Time" will be granted a second season. The actor said, "We're hoping for it. We've only covered the first year of Magic's career. So we can keep going."