Jalen Brunson attended Mariska Hargitay's Broadway performance of Every Brilliant Thing on June 26. He received a standing ovation after Hargitay incorporated his Knicks jersey into the show.
What happened?
Hargitay gave Brunson a surprise shout-out from the stage, turning his Knicks jersey into part of the show. The moment brought together two New York stories that have been running side by side this month: Hargitay's Broadway debut and Brunson's championship season with the Knicks.
The play, Every Brilliant Thing, is built around a growing list of small, joyful reasons to keep going. Near the end of the performance, Hargitay's character went through a box of items from that list, and one of them was Brunson's Knicks jersey.
Why it matters for Jalen Brunson
Brunson and Hargitay's friendship has a pop-culture origin. Brunson has said he grew up watching Law & Order: Special Victims Unit with his family, and he has spoken about the show as part of his routine. Hargitay has embraced the connection, describing Brunson's focus and discipline as part of what inspires her during her Broadway debut.
Hargitay supported Brunson during the Knicks' postseason, and Brunson showed up at the Hudson Theatre as she nears the end of her limited Broadway run. Hargitay is starring in Every Brilliant Thing through July 5.
What comes next?
Tracee Ellis Ross is scheduled to take over the role on July 7 for a limited run through August 9. Before that handoff, Brunson's visit gave Hargitay's run one more New York crossover: an SVU star, a Knicks captain, and a Broadway audience cheering for both.
Hargitay has made Brunson and the Knicks part of her Broadway run. She keeps a photo of Brunson in her dressing room, alongside other figures she has used as inspiration while taking on her first Broadway role. On June 18, Hargitay appeared at the Knicks' championship parade wearing a custom Every Brilliant Thing-themed shirt that read, "Brilliant Thing #11: The Knicks