Ray Romano Modeled His “Running Point ”Character After This Real-Life NBA Coach (Exclusive)

Deirdre Durkan, Scott HuverSat, April 25, 2026 at 2:00 PM UTC

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Credit: Steve Granitz/FilmMagic; Netflix -

Ray Romano reveals he based his Running Point season 2 character on NBA coach Gregg Popovich

The actor says he had little time to prepare and leaned on Popovich’s “demeanor” for inspiration

Romano also shares why improvising comedy again was one of the most fun parts of the role

Ray Romano is pulling from real-life basketball figures for his latest role.

While speaking with PEOPLE at Netflix’s Running Point season 2 premiere event in Los Angeles on April 15, Romano revealed he modeled his character, Coach Norm Stinson, after a legendary person in the NBA.

“I got the offer and I had to come in next week,” Romano says of joining the series. “And I usually do a little bit of an actory thing and do a little backstory, but I didn’t really have the time.”

Instead, Romano leaned on instinct — and a familiar face in the basketball world.

Ray Romano as Coach Norm and Kate Hudson as Isla Gordon on 'Running Point'Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

“I thought what NBA [should I look to] … Well, first of all, the script was explaining who the guy was,” he explains. “And then I like … Who can I emulate? And the guy I thought of was [Gregg] Popovich.”

Romano adds, “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.”

“That was the base,” he says. “And then we let it go from there.”

In Running Point, Romano plays Norm Stinson, a basketball savant turned social recluse who teams up with Isla Gordon (Kate Hudson) to rediscover his love for the game. The role blends comedy with more emotional depth, something Romano was eager to explore.

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“It had a little tenderness to it,” he says of the character.

Still, returning to a more comedic rhythm was a major highlight, especially with the freedom to improvise.

“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,” Romano tells PEOPLE.

Gregg Popovich, the former Head Coach of the San Antonio Spurs, seen in 2024Credit: David DowNBAE via Getty

Romano adds that he’s hoping to lean even further into that artistic liberty in the future. "If there is another season, I’m looking forward to getting into that a little bit more,” he says.

Off-screen, the actor is also enjoying the perks of being close to the basketball world and his friendship with producer Jeanie Buss, who is the CEO and controlling owner of the Los Angeles Lakers — including some enviable seats.

“Well, if it’s in New York, it’s very good. It’s courtside,” Romano says. “Over here, it’s different … because everybody wants to see here.”

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Running Point season 2 is streaming on Netflix.

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Source: “AOL Sports”