David Stassen , showrunner of Netflix’s hit comedy Running Point , was already in a nonstop sprint when the show became a sensation in spring 2025. But an unexpected real-world event – the Buss family’s decision to sell their majority stake in the L.A. Lakers – ended up influencing season two in surprising ways.
At the time of the sale, the Running Point writers room happened to be in the middle of breaking a season two episode where the fictional Gordon family weighs the ramifications of selling shares in their team, the L.A. Waves.
“The [Lakers] sale was surprising. The news broke, and it felt like kismet that we were already doing something in similar territory,” Stassen tells The Hollywood Reporter. “It helped us. It motivated us. We got to shape the story in an even more fun and possibly stakes-ier way.”
The Real-World Inspiration – Jeanie Buss and the Lakers
Running Point is loosely based on Jeanie Buss’ tenure as the controlling owner of the Los Angeles Lakers. Stassen got to know Buss throughout season one; she opened the doors to the Lakers’ facility and shared a variety of anecdotes, both personal and professional.
| Real-World Figure | Show Counterpart |
|---|---|
| Jeanie Buss | Isla Gordon (Kate Hudson) |
| Lakers organization | L.A. Waves (fictionalized) |
| Buss family | Gordon family |
Yet it was still a shock when the Buss family decided to sell their majority stake to Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter eight months after season one’s release. (The Buss family still owns 15-17 percent of the team, and Jeanie maintains her role as team governor.)
Season Two Storylines – Money, Power, and Strikes
Season two continues to chronicle the ups and downs of Isla Gordon (Hudson) and the rest of her dysfunctional family’s ownership of the L.A. Waves. Unlike many real-world NBA franchises now backed by tech billionaires, the Gordons are not flush with cash.
| Storyline | Description |
|---|---|
| Financial obstacles | Isla solves never-ending money problems |
| Strike episode | Labor disputes affecting the league |
| Power dynamics | Squabbles between family, players, and co-workers |
| Prenup episode | (Coincidentally being broken when Lakers sale news broke) |
“The Waves are still a family business. Whereas in the real world, a lot of NBA franchises now have tech money and vast wealth within their ownership groups. But that’s not the case with the Waves, so it’s a great way to box our characters in and have them figure out how to get out of these tough situations.”
No Lakers Iconography – A Deliberate Choice
Running Point fictionalized its basketball team as the L.A. Waves rather than using Lakers iconography. Stassen has no regrets.
| Real Lakers | Fictional Waves |
|---|---|
| Real NBA history | No NBA references allowed |
| Michael Jordan, Kobe, LeBron exist | Characters are “amalgamations” |
| Licensed iconography | Creative freedom |
“It went back and forth: Is it going to be the Lakers or not? It would’ve been fun if it had been, but creatively and comedically, we get to have a little more leeway. We get to build our world the way we see it without a lot of the preconceived notions that NBA fans would bring to a show about the Lakers.”
The “Amalgamation” Approach
| Character | Real-World Inspiration |
|---|---|
| Marcus Winfield (Toby Sandeman) | Mix of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James |
| Coach Jay Brown (Jay Ellis) | Mix of wise, cool NBA coaches |
“We are very strict about not making NBA references. If we think of a good Charles Barkley reference – or a reference to Michael Jordan being poisoned by a pizza place in Salt Lake City – we just won’t do it. But we’ve trained ourselves so much… that we don’t have to do that a lot.”
The Scottie Pippen Parallel? Not Direct
A season two subplot involves Waves captain Marcus Winfield taking issue with a last-second shot designed for rising star Dyson Gibbs (Uche Agada) instead of him. This parallels Scottie Pippen’s infamous protest of the Bulls’ 1994 playoff game, when he refused to reenter after Phil Jackson designed the final shot for Toni Kukoč.
| Real NBA | Running Point |
|---|---|
| Scottie Pippen (Bulls) | Marcus Winfield (Waves) |
| Toni Kukoč | Dyson Gibbs |
| Phil Jackson | Coach (Ray Romano) |
But Stassen doesn’t recall a direct inspiration:
“It must have been in the back of our minds, but I don’t remember if it was specifically an ode to Scottie and Toni with 1.8 left on the clock against the Knicks. It’s certainly not the only time in history that two players have wanted the last shot.”
However, a later episode names an Eastern European player “Marko Kukoč” – a nod combining Toni Kukoč with former Clipper Marko Jarić.
New Cast – Ray Romano and Scott MacArthur
| New Cast Member | Role | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Ray Romano | Coach Norm Stinson | Traditional coach, father figure, not as cool as players |
| Scott MacArthur | Ness | Described as “funniest character on the show” |
Stassen on MacArthur: “Scotty had a great time making El Camino with Vince [Gilligan]. He says that when you’re in New Mexico, Vince Gilligan is like the unofficial governor of New Mexico. He can get whatever he wants in New Mexico.”
Netflix Notes – ‘No One Asked Us to Write for People on Their Phones’
Conan O’Brien perpetuated a rumor at the Oscars that Netflix urges writers to restate the plot for passive viewers. Stassen pushes back:
“We have not been told to reinsert the plot later on in an episode. A lot of writers want to make sure the story works, so maybe we unconsciously repipe things here and there. But we’ve never been told in any way, shape or form, ‘Hey, people are looking at their phones, so make it dumber.’ That doesn’t really happen. I feel like that’s a fear the industry has about itself.”
Season 3 Optimism – Writers Room Already Open
Netflix has not officially picked up season three yet, but everyone is optimistic.
| Sign of Confidence | Detail |
|---|---|
| Writers room | Already ordered for potential season three |
| Season one performance | “Did very well” |
| Staff retention | Allows show to retain top personnel |
“Netflix hasn’t officially picked up season three yet, but everyone is optimistic. Season one did very well, and Netflix has already shown a lot of faith by ordering the writers room for a potential season three. So everyone is feeling good.”
The Dune Scene and Pop Culture References
Season two includes a Dune-inspired fantasy sequence with Isla (Hudson) – a fun nod given the show is a Warner Bros. production and Dune is also Warner Bros.
| Reference | Character |
|---|---|
| Dune | Isla (Kate Hudson) |
| Andor | Sandy (Drew Tarver) |
| The Traitors | The Gordon brothers |
“Warners probably appreciates the synergy, but did you still have to go through a lengthy process to clear it? Yeah, everything had to be cleared, but there actually wasn’t a lot of red tape with Dune.”
The Macaulay Culkin Question
A season one angry Waves fan played by Macaulay Culkin raised a question: does that mean Macaulay Culkin exists in the show’s universe? Stassen’s answer:
“I don’t think he is Macaulay Culkin. I think he’s just a rabid Waves/Billie Eilish fan who happens to resemble the most famous child actor of all time. But he’s moved up in the world because he has much better seats in season two.”
Ike Barinholtz – From ‘The Studio’ to ‘Running Point’
Stassen’s longtime writing partner Ike Barinholtz (co-creator) appears in season two as Benny, the Gordons’ obnoxious cousin from Las Vegas.
| Barinholtz Role | Description |
|---|---|
| Benny | Obnoxious cousin with multiple failed ventures |
| Real-life | Also playing Elon Musk in Luca Guadagnino’s Artificial |
Stassen on Barinholtz’s Elon Musk role:
“I’m dying for that trailer to come out. I check with him once a week to see if it has dropped.”
A Show That Keeps Running
Running Point season two is now streaming on Netflix. The showrunner is optimistic about a season three renewal, and the writers room is already open.
The real-world Lakers sale that surprised everyone ended up enriching season two’s storylines. And the show’s fictionalized approach – the L.A. Waves instead of the Lakers – has given Stassen and his team creative freedom they wouldn’t have otherwise.
As Stassen puts it: “We get to build our world the way we see it.”
For fans of basketball, comedy, and Kate Hudson, that world is worth visiting.
