Jalen Brunson Gets Special Message From Mariska Hargitay After NBA Finals Heroics
Following the Knicks’ Game 1 NBA Finals victory, Jalen Brunson shared details of a text from Mariska Hargitay, highlighting their friendship.
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Jalen Brunson and Mariska Hargitay (Image: Instagram/@therealmariskahargitay)
Jalen Brunson received a congratulatory text from actress Mariska Hargitay after helping the New York Knicks secure a 105-95 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
The Knicks star revealed the exchange during an appearance on ESPN’s NBA Today with Malika Andrews on June 4.
Hargitay, one of the franchise’s most prominent celebrity supporters, reached out shortly after New York opened the championship series with a statement road win. “I don’t really remember, but it was more of like ‘Good job, congratulations,’ ” Brunson said when asked about the message.
Fresh off earning Eastern Conference Finals MVP honors, Brunson emphasized that the team’s focus quickly turned to the next challenge despite the significance of taking Game 1. “Yesterday was cool, obviously we needed it, but we’ve got to move on quickly,” he said.
For the unversed, New York overcame a 14-point second-half deficit to take Game 1 in San Antonio. The Knicks also limited the impact of Spurs star Victor Wembanyama during the comeback victory. Brunson, alongside teammates Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Mitchell Robinson, entered Game 2 looking to extend the team’s lead in the series.
Jalen Brunson and Mariska Hargitay have built a friendship through Knicks games
Jalen Brunson’s connection with Mariska Hargitay extends beyond a single text message. The actress is a frequent attendee at New York Knicks’ home games, and the pair have become known for sharing postgame hugs at Madison Square Garden.
The friendship grew in part through Brunson’s longtime admiration for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the television series Hargitay has starred in for decades.
During an appearance on The Roommates Show with Jalen Brunson & Josh Hart last year, Brunson explained how the show became a familiar presence in his home while growing up.
“I just remember my dad always watching the show,” Brunson said of his father, Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson. “It was like, you just hear the iconic (theme song) ‘don-don’ all the time in the house. My dad also watches the TV incredibly loud, so you hear it throughout the house.”
He added, “(I) always found myself watching the show and honestly the older I got, the more I watched, the more I see now I’m like, ‘I’ve seen that episode,’ I’ve seen so many different episodes.”
Brunson also recalled his first encounter with Hargitay. “I’ve never been like super super like starstruck — super starstruck. I saw her, I was like ‘Oh! The first time we met, it was awesome. We talked and everything.”
Their friendship has remained visible throughout the Knicks’ playoff run, with Hargitay continuing to support the team during its appearance in the NBA Finals.
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