For those who are not familiar with the basketball sports universe (apparently many TV critics), the Running Point series is a Netflix version of Ted Lasso. No, no… It’s a humorous version of a MAX series, Winning Time. Which one? Well, let me get straight to the point: it’s about a very real executive, Jeanie Buss, the first female controlling owner of a basketball team – the L. A. Lakers – to guide her team to an NBA championship. Hence, the brilliance of having Kate Hudson in the lead role (the two look alike).

Jeanie Buss is an iconic figure in the world of basketball, known, of course, for her role as owner of the Lakers, one of the most iconic franchises in the NBA. She grew up in a family deeply involved in sports, being the daughter of Jerry Buss, who acquired the Lakers in 1981. Like Isla Gordon (Hudson), Jeanie was involved in the team’s operations from an early age, starting her career helping with marketing and administrative initiatives. Throughout her career, Jeanie has distinguished herself with her management skills and her efforts to promote diversity and inclusion within the organization, becoming the first woman to lead an NBA franchise. Her role with the Lakers extends beyond management; she has been an active voice in social and philanthropic causes, using the team’s platform to support important initiatives.

The MAX series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, played by actress Hadley Robinson, dramatizes the rise of the Lakers in the 1980s and portrays the complex dynamics between the players, management, and the culture that surrounded the team at that time. In this series, Jeanie is not yet the protagonist, but she shows her search for space and influence within a structure dominated by men. The series captures Jeanie’s struggle to establish her place in the organization as the Buss family shaped the future of the Lakers. With a dynamic narrative style, Winning Time blends real and dramatized elements, bringing to life the intensity of basketball and the building of the Lakers dynasty.

The combination of Jeanie Buss’s career and the narrative of Winning Time illustrates how her determination and vision helped shape not only the team but also the role of women in sports. What Running Point does differently is to inject humor where Winning Time heightened the drama with a humorous portrayal of the psychologically damaging consequences of the Buss family having fewer consequences.

Jeanie is the third of four children born to Jerry Buss and his wife, but she has a sister and a half-sister. Her parents’ divorce left her feeling emotionally abandoned, but she was close to her father, following him in his business ventures since she was 14, before he got involved in the NBA. Today, she is also the owner of the Women of Wrestling League, WOW (Women of Wrestling).

As the leader of the Lakers, Jeanie shone but first came up against a long and arduous power struggle with her brother, Jim, just as Isla came up against Cam (Justin Theroux), whose veiled antagonism ends the season with the two openly fighting for leadership of the team.

The Netflix series uses details of Jeanie’s life in Isla almost in chronological order: she was married when she was young, put her professional life before everything else, posed for Playboy and became romantically involved with the team’s coach (this has not yet come to fruition in Running Point, but it will if there is a 2nd season). Another detail that is in the series is the fact that the Busses discovered that they had a much younger half-brother who wanted to connect with the family.

Now for the funniest detail of all the crossovers of Jeanie’s life with sports romantic comedies. Do you know who her husband is? Comedian Jay Mohr, Tom Cruise‘s odious antagonist in Jerry Maguire, Bob Sugar. Isn’t that funny?

In other words, critics were relatively harsh on Running Time, but perhaps they were unfair. Series that explore the world of sports rarely have room for a female role that isn’t secondary, which is why it’s so interesting to point out that it’s inspired by a true story. It sounds surreal, of course, but it’s not.

Winning Time has a great cast and dramatizes the rise of the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s, following both the construction of the team and the dynamics between the players and staff. It’s a narrative that mixes historical events with fictional elements but features Jeanie Buss, who plays a secondary role. The series doesn’t focus deeply on the stories of women, but by portraying the macho culture of the time, it offers a glimpse into their struggle for more respect and autonomy in an environment dominated by men.

In Ted Lasso, Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham) starts out as an antagonist, but the evolution of the plot almost leaves her as a co-lead character. Since Ted (Jason Sudeikis) is a “different”, inclusive, and sensitive man, the series stood out for dealing with emotional and personal themes, including the role of women in the sports world more deeply and carefully. Rebecca grows as a figure of empowerment, dealing with the dynamics of being a woman in a position of power in a predominantly male environment.

Running Time has a weak point: by focusing on humor instead of emphasizing drama, the series offers a more accessible and fun view of Jeanie’s journey without, however, leaving aside the impact that her leadership had on the history of basketball. The production shows a way to celebrate the trajectory of women like Jeanie Buss, not as a simple biography but as a representation of how the sports world is slowly becoming more inclusive and diverse.

Therefore, we suggest watching and rewatching the three series. Together, each of them brings a unique perspective on the role of women, helping us reflect on the achievements and challenges faced by women in sports, all while providing us with a good laugh. How could we not want more?

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