Key facts
- Jalen Brunson scored 45 points to lead the New York Knicks to a 94-90 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.
- The victory secured the Knicks' first NBA championship since 1973.
- Brunson's wife, Dr. Ali Marks Brunson, has been a consistent supporter throughout his career.
- The couple met as high school sweethearts and married in 2023.
- They welcomed a daughter, Jordyn James Brunson, on July 31, 2024.
Jalen Brunson delivered a historic 45-point performance to lead the New York Knicks to a 94-90 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, clinching the franchise's first NBA championship since 1973. Brunson's clutch second-half scoring, including 29 points after halftime, erased a 15-point deficit in Game 5, completing a dramatic comeback for the Knicks.
The championship win capped a dominant series for New York, which won four of the five games. Throughout Brunson's career, his wife, Dr. Ali Marks Brunson, has been a steadfast supporter. The couple's relationship began over a decade ago as high school sweethearts at Adlai E. Stevenson High School.
While Jalen attended Villanova University for basketball, Ali studied kinesiology and exercise science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, graduating in 2017. She later attended Northwestern University, earning her doctorate in physical therapy in 2021, and began her career as a physical therapist in Dallas.
Jalen proposed to Ali in September 2022 at their high school gym. They were married in 2023 and welcomed their daughter, Jordyn James Brunson, on July 31, 2024. Ali Marks Brunson has actively supported her husband on social media, sharing celebratory posts following the championship victory.