If Ray Romano’s character on Running Point reminded you of anyone else, you may not be the only one. The Everybody Loves Raymond legend has been one of the best things about Running Point season 2 since it dropped on Netflix and turns out, he had some very real inspiration for that. Romano has been opening up about how he actually built the character, and the answer involves one of the most respected names in the history of the NBA.
Speaking to PEOPLE about it, Romano stated,
“I got the offer and I had to come in next wee. And I usually do a little bit of an actory thing and do a little backstory, but I didn’t really have the time. I thought what NBA [should I look to] … Well, first of all, the script was explaining who the guy was. And then I like … Who can I emulate? And the guy I thought of was [Gregg] Popovich. Yeah. I think if I ever was a coach, I would be close to him. I’m close to his age and I just like his demeanor and all that.”
Popovich has spent 29 seasons as head coach of the Spurs from 1996 to 2025, has won five NBA championships, and built a reputation as one of the sharpest, most no-nonsense minds the sport has ever seen.
Romano’s character, Norm comes across as someone who has genuinely lived inside basketball for decades, with all the stubbornness and warmth that tends to come with that.
Talking more about his character and whether he would like to return, Romano added,
“It had a little tenderness to it. It was fun to do the jokes they wrote, and it was fun that they let us do the jokes that they didn’t write and improvise a little. If there is another season, I’m looking forward to getting into that a little bit more,”
What’s happening in Running Point season 2?
Running Point Season 2 starts with the LA Waves now being coachless after Jay Brown relocated to Boston in the season 1 finale. Kate Hudson’s Isla Gordon is now in charge of finding a replacement and ends up pulling Norm Stinson out of a self-imposed basketball retirement.
Season 2 also has a lot of new faces, including Nicole Richie, Octavia Spencer, and Scott Speedman all join the cast. We also have a city dancers’ subplot that involves a TikTok-viral strike to make things even more interesting.
Edited by Nibir Konwar