The new Netflix series, Running Point is a must-watch for all basketball fans. The 10-episode season, co-created by Mindy Kaling, stars Kate Hudson as Isla Gordon, a former party girl whose family owns the Los Angeles Waves, a professional basketball team. In the sitcom, Isla Gordon must step in to manage the family business, which just happens to be a professional basketball franchise.
The premise is that Isla takes over as president of the Los Angeles Waves, a team her father once led. The Waves had a strong record, but due to her brother’s poor leadership after their father’s passing, the team has lost its edge. Now, she is tasked with turning things around.
Is Running Point based on Jeanie Buss?
The storyline feels familiar because it mirrors the life of Jeanie Buss, the Lakers’ president and controlling owner. Isla Gordon and the Waves share similarities with Buss and the Lakers, and Buss is also an executive producer on the show. However, while the show portrays a woman achieving success in the sports industry and making history, Buss’s real-life journey differs significantly from the scripted series.
Both Isla and Buss struggle for acceptance in a male-dominated world, and small details—such as Isla posing for Playboy (something Buss actually did in 1995)—add to the realism. Under Jeanie’s father, Dr. Jerry Buss, the Lakers won multiple championships, much like the Waves did under Isla’s father.
However, despite Buss’s involvement as an executive producer and the inclusion of elements from her life, Running Point is not a biography. The workplace comedy, directed by Mindy Kaling, Ike Barinholtz, and David Stassen, incorporates creative liberties to distinguish itself from reality.
Unlike Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers, a 2022 Hulu documentary, Running Point is a scripted sitcom that blends fact with fiction, using artistic license to create a unique take on professional basketball.
While Isla Gordon and Jeanie Buss, the Waves and the Lakers, are distinct in many ways, the real-life inspiration behind Running Point is undeniable.
The show effectively captures the immense responsibility that fell on Jeanie Buss after her father, NBA icon Jerry Buss, passed away in 2013 at age 80. While Jeanie’s rise to power took longer, Isla’s promotion in Running Point fast-tracks her from overseeing charitable programs to becoming team president.
Though Buss did not participate in the casting process, she fully supported Kate Hudson stepping into Isla’s power suits. The two had actually known each other since Hudson was a teenager. Buss also ensured that basketball fans would appreciate the show by helping integrate elements that provide a fictionalized but insightful look into the inner workings of professional sports.
By weaving in aspects of Buss’s personal and professional experiences, Running Point delivers a compelling watch—filled with depth, emotion, and a fresh take on the world of basketball.