Running Point (Season 1) is an American sports comedy series created by Elaine Ko, Mindy Kaling, Ike Barinholtz, and David Stassen, with Kate Hudson leading the cast. The story follows Isla Gordon, a former party girl who is trying to change her life, as she is suddenly given control of her family’s professional basketball team. What seems like a dream opportunity quickly turns into a difficult challenge, as Isla must prove herself in a world that has never taken her seriously, while dealing with constant pressure, unexpected problems, and the messy realities of running a team both on and off the court.
Please note that there are major spoilers throughout the article.
Running Point (Season 1) Recap:
What is the Running Point about season 1?
Season 1 of Running Point follows Isla Gordon (Kate Hudson) as she slowly grows into her role in her family’s basketball business while dealing with pressure from all sides.
At the start, Isla has always loved basketball, but her father, Jack and her brothers never really took her seriously. Jack used to own the Los Angeles Waves, and her brothers are deeply involved in the team. Because she felt ignored for most of her life, Isla developed a rebellious lifestyle. Later, she settled down a bit and began working as the team’s coordinator of charitable activities. Things change when her brother Cam is forced to step down as team president due to drug abuse. Before leaving, he names Isla as his replacement.
Isla’s first big challenge comes quickly. Her brothers, Ness and Sandy, suggest trading their difficult point guard, Travis Bugg, to create cap space and purposely lose games since the team is already struggling. At the same time, the chairman, Stephen Ramirez, warns her that if she goes into a rebuild and trades Travis, she could lose her job. Isla decides to take a different path. She contacts other team owners, works out deals to improve their cap situation, keeps Travis on the team, and brings in a rookie from the D-League. Meanwhile, a young fan named Jackie Moreno, who works at the stadium, learns after his mother’s death that he is actually Jack’s son.
The story continues as the team runs into a financial problem after their sponsor backs out following the news of Cam’s drug abuse. Isla and Ali now have to find a new sponsor quickly. At the same time, Ness and Sandy try to remove Isla from her position by pushing for a vote of no confidence. While out shopping, Isla gets an idea after seeing a female fan and manages to secure a new sponsor that offers even more money than the previous one. She interrupts the board meeting to present the deal, which stops her brothers’ plan. Around this time, the family officially learns about Jackie being Jack’s son. Although some suggest settling things quietly, Jackie wants to be part of the family. Isla and Ness agree to spend time with him and welcome him in.
Next, we see Isla hiring Jackie as her assistant. Trouble begins when Travis posts a video where he damages his jersey to insult the new sponsor. Isla takes him out to dinner to talk about it, but he thinks it is a date and tries to kiss her. This leads to rumours about them having an affair. Isla suspends Travis for a week, which causes the team to lose again. She later asks Marcus to talk to Travis, and this works better. Travis apologises publicly and clears up the rumours. Jackie struggles at first in his new role, but Ali helps him understand how Isla works.
The story digs deeper, as we see Isla attending a league owners’ conference in Phoenix. She joins a plan with other major team owners to create a streaming service called Hoopli. However, she learns from another owner that this idea could harm smaller teams and may not last long. Isla tries to negotiate a better deal for all teams. The next day, she finds out another team has taken her place in the deal. At the same time, Ness moves in with Sandy after being kicked out by Bituin. Sandy lies to his boyfriend Charlie about having COVID to avoid him visiting. This causes tension later when Charlie shows up and realises he has not been introduced to the family. Elsewhere, Dyson worries about paying for expensive rookie dinners, but Marcus steps in and ends this tradition by covering the cost.
Do Lev and Isla stay together?
Isla starts thinking about her upcoming engagement. Her fiancé Lev wants her to convert to Judaism, but her father’s will says she could lose her place in the family business if she does. Isla still considers it because she wants the marriage to work. Meanwhile, Jackie suggests bringing in a performer named Red Panda for halftime instead of the usual dance team. Though Sandy rejects the idea, Ness agrees. The performance is a success, even though it upsets the dance team. At the engagement party, Isla talks about her worries, while Charlie breaks up with Sandy after learning he was lied to again. This leads to a fight between the siblings, which ends with them falling into the pool. Later, Lev tells Isla she does not need to convert, and the siblings make peace.
Further into the series, we find Dyson struggles with free throws, which affects the team’s performance. Isla and Ali bring in a coach from the Indian National Women’s team to help him. She suggests using the granny shot, but Dyson feels embarrassed. At the same time, rumours spread that Marcus might be traded, causing him to avoid practice. Isla confronts a talk show host on live television over this issue. Marcus eventually returns and helps Dyson feel more confident, which leads to a win after a losing streak. Isla later realises her brothers were not responsible for the rumour, but it was actually Cam.
Isla deals with Travis’s mother, Bonnie, who becomes too involved in her son’s life and disrupts the team. She even tries to pitch a reality show and ends up punching Isla when she is removed. Travis thanks Isla afterwards, but continues to take extra medication. Meanwhile, Sandy struggles with his breakup, and Jackie faces a personal issue when he learns he has chlamydia and must inform his past partners. This creates tension with Ramirez, but Jackie apologises and promises to stay away from his daughter.
The team is close to making the playoffs, but problems arise again. Jay gets into trouble at a nightclub and refuses to apologise. Isla also learns he may want to coach another team. At the same time, Marcus and Dyson discover Travis’s drug problem. Sandy has a bad experience with a stranger he meets, which leads Isla to encourage him to fix things with Charlie. Isla also helps Jay by adjusting his contract so he can move later, which leads him to return and help the team reach the playoffs. Meanwhile, Cam tries to leave rehab early.
Next, Isla finds out about Travis’s addiction. She first decides to let him keep playing, which upsets Marcus. After thinking it over, she changes her mind and takes Travis to rehab herself, missing an important event for Lev. This leads to Lev ending their relationship. At the same time, Sandy wins Charlie back with a grand gesture at a game. Despite Travis being gone, the team wins their first playoff match.
Running Point (Season 1) Ending Explained:
Do the Waves win the final game?
In the final episode of Running Point (Season 1), one month later, the team is close to the championship. Isla tries to fix things with Lev, but he needs time. Jackie feels ignored by the family, but they later come together to support him. Isla gives an inspiring speech before the game. The team plays well but loses in the end due to a last-minute shot. After the game, Isla and Jay share a kiss but are unsure about it. The episode ends the season as, the next day, Cam returns and makes it clear he wants his position back, creating a new conflict ahead.
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