Jalen Brunson has made multiple headlines recently. The Knicks just ended a fifty-three-year wait for an NBA title, and Brunson was the one who put them over the line. As per a report shared by CBS Sports, New York topped the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals on Saturday night, bringing home a championship the city hasn’t seen since 1973.
Brunson hit the go-ahead floater with sixty-five seconds remaining, finished with a series-high forty-five points in the closeout win, and was named the Finals MVP. His wife, Dr. Ali Marks Brunson, has been his support system throughtout it all.
Game 5 was set for San Antonio. But the night before, Ali was on her Instagram Stories, and none of it had anything to do with basketball. She posted a photo of their daughter, Jordyn James Brunson, born July 31, 2024, sitting out on a picnic blanket. A book or a small painting set was spread out beside her. Right next to her was Stevie, the family’s black doodle mix. The two of them were side by side in the image.
“These two are literally best friends,” Ali wrote over the photo.
Jalen Brunson and Ali’s relationship, from high school sweethearts to long distance:
Jalen and Ali go way back. As per a report shared by People, the two first crossed paths at Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois, and started dating in October 2013. Jalen was already posting photos of the two of them on social media throughout high school, capturing birthday celebrations and school dances along the way. By May 2015, he shared pictures of the couple attending their senior prom together.
College took them in different directions. Jalen headed to Villanova University, where he played Division 1 basketball, while Ali enrolled at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, studying kinesiology and exercise science. She graduated in 2017. The two dated long distance through their college years.
Ali then attended Northwestern University and received her doctorate in physical therapy in 2021, after which she ultimately made the move to Dallas to be with Jalen, who was playing there at the time.
She had already been building toward that career for years. Prior to becoming a licensed physical therapist, Ali worked as a rehabilitation aide at Athletico in Chicago, assisting both therapists and patients. Once she landed in Dallas, Ali began her career as a physical therapist at the W.B. Carrell Memorial Clinic, the same city where Jalen was playing ball.
Jalen Brunson proposed to Ali at their high school and married her in a party-first celebration:
Jalen Brunson did not take the conventional route when he proposed. As per a report shared by People, he brought Ali back to their alma mater, Adlai E. Stevenson High School, in September 2022 and popped the question at center court inside the gym. Jalen Brunson had arranged flowers and candles in a heart shape on the floor, and got down on one knee under a floral arch. The two married in July 2023.
When it came to the wedding, Ali was clear about what she and Jalen Brunson wanted.
“We wanted it to be a big big party: celebratory and joyful, with lights, lasers, a fun DJ, good food, good drinks,” she told People.
They delivered on that. The reception kicked off with a cocktail hour featuring mini lobster rolls, baby lamb chops, spring rolls, and chefs hand-rolling sushi, which happened to be Brunson’s favorite. As wedding planner Carrie Zack told People, the couple wanted the whole evening to feel like a
“night out at one of their favorite spots instead of a traditional wedding celebration.”
The drink menu matched that energy. Spicy margaritas and Tito’s strawberry lemonade were on offer, and both the bride and groom had their own signature pour. Ali went with Casamigos and pineapple. Jalen went with Casamigos and ginger ale.
The couple kept their inner circle close for the ceremony itself. Jalen Brunson’s college friend and former Villanova Wildcats teammate Ryan Arcidiacono, who also played alongside him on the Knicks, officiated. Fellow Knicks players Julius Randle, Derrick Rose, RJ Barrett, Josh Hart, and Donte DiVincenzo were all in attendance.
Jalen Brunson reflects on the Knicks’ championship win:
Fans were not sure if The Knicks would win Game 5. They trailed at some point in every single game of the series against San Antonio and found themselves down as many as ten points in the fourth quarter of the closeout game, as per a report shared by CNN Sports.
When ESPN’s Lisa Salters caught up with Jalen Brunson after the final buzzer, his eyes were welling with tears.
“I have no words. It’s everything I ever dreamed of. I don’t know what I’m feeling. I’m just, like, in awe,” an overcome Brunson told her.
He had carried the Knicks when it mattered most. Throughout the series, New York had been written off more than once. Brunson addressed that directly after the game.
“Whenever someone counted us out, we found a way to do something about it,” he said.
Edited by Ryan D’souza