The second season of Running Point just dropped on Netflix, and one of the biggest talking points is the new face coaching the Los Angeles Waves. Ray Romano joins the cast as Norm Stinson, a character who is very different from the team’s previous coach. Here is everything you need to know about the new character and the actor behind him.
After a tough loss at the end of the first season, Isla Gordon (Kate Hudson) is back to work. She is determined to win a championship for her family’s basketball team. But there is a major problem to solve first. The Waves do not have a head coach. The old coach, Jay Brown (Jay Ellis) , left to move closer to his family on the East Coast. This leaves a big hole in the team’s leadership right as Isla is fighting to keep her job as president.
A Genius Who Stayed Away From the Game
This is where Norm Stinson enters the story. Isla does not go for the popular or flashy choices that her brothers suggest. Instead, she hires a former coach named Norm Stinson. He is known as a basketball genius, but there is a catch. He has become a social recluse. The character is described as a basketball savant who turned away from the world and lost his love for the game.
Norm is not the smooth, athletic type like the previous coach. He is awkward, grumpy, and out of practice when it comes to dealing with people. The show’s creators explained that they needed someone to fill the “coach-sized hole” left by Jay Ellis. Ike Barinholtz, one of the executive producers, joked that since they lost one of the “best looking men in the world,” the only natural replacement was Ray Romano. Romano’s character has to rediscover his passion for basketball while dealing with a star player who does not trust him.
Why Ray Romano Had to Join the Team
The casting of Ray Romano almost did not happen the way fans see it now. Initially, another actor, Robert Townsend, was picked to play the coach. But in October 2025, the show’s creators decided to change direction. They let Townsend go and brought in Ray Romano. After Romano joined, the role of Norm Stinson was reimagined to fit the actor’s unique style. The team even did reshoots in the fall of 2025 to make sure the character worked perfectly.
Mindy Kaling, another executive producer, and her team were very excited to get Romano. They were big fans of his work. When asked about working with him, Kate Hudson shared her excitement.
“Oh, I love him! He is so wonderful,” Hudson told Entertainment Tonight. “We are so lucky to have him and we are having a great time.”
The cast and creators often joke that they hired Romano for his “body and overt sexuality,” but they admit that his comedy skills make the character a success.
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Romano’s Return to Netflix Comedy
For Ray Romano, playing Coach Norm Stinson is a return to the streaming service where he recently found success. Audiences saw him in the black comedy No Good Deed in December 2024, where he starred opposite Lisa Kudrow. Of course, he is best known around the world for his classic sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, which ran for nine seasons. He has also voiced Manny the mammoth in the Ice Age movies and acted in serious films like The Irishman.
His role in Running Point Season 2 lets him use his talent for playing world-weary but funny characters. Norm Stinson has seen better days, but through Isla’s belief in him, he starts to care about the game again. This adds a lot of heart and humor to the season as the Waves try to recover from their playoff heartbreak.
Running Point Season 2 is now available to stream on Netflix. Viewers in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and India can watch all episodes right now. The season continues to mix family drama with office humor, all set against the background of professional basketball.
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