Jalen Brunson was quietly having a nice career with the Dallas Mavericks, but once he signed with the New York Knicks, his career took off.
Brunson was named to his third consecutive All-Star team and will be suiting up in the league’s new USA vs the World round robin format on Sunday night. He hasn’t done it alone – throughout his time in New York (and long before), Brunson has had one person by his side.
Meet Jalen Brunson’s Wife, Ali Marks
Brunson is from nearby New Brunswick, New Jersey, but moved around a lot when Brunson was a child due to his father, Rick’s, professional playing and then coaching career, before settling in Lincolnshire, Illinois.
There, Brunson and Marks both attended Stevenson High School, where they met and began dating in 2013. The pair also attended their Senior Prom together.
The pair, however, did not attend college together. While Brunoson went off to Vilanova, winning National Championships in 2016 and 2018, Marks attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for undergrad and Northwestern, where she earned her doctorate in physical therapy.
Brunson finally popped the question in 2022, after 9 years of dating, in their old high school gym. The two wed at Chicago’s Ritz-Carlton on July 29, 2023. The wedding was initially scheduled for Labor Day weekend, but was moved due to selection to the United States men’s national basketball team for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
“We wanted to bring all of our closest friends [and] family together in a city that means so much to both of us,” Brunson said via PEOPLE.
The wedding has been described as “lavish.”
“We wanted it to be a big big party: celebratory and joyful, with lights, lasers, a fun DJ, good food, good drinks,” Marks said.
Sounds like mission accomplished.
“She’s always been by my side and I’m lucky to have her,” Brunson said. “I’m excited to celebrate this special milestone with all of our closest friends and family, who have been so supportive over the many years of our relationship.”
The pair had their first child, a daughter named Jordyn James Brunson, in July of 2024.
Although they have only been married for a few years, their relationship is now nearly 13 years old, and they are so close that we’ve even seen them in a commercial together.
The two have clearly found a home with the Knicks. Brunson signed a four-year, $156,549,124 veteran extension, fully guaranteed and running through the 2028 season. The contract carries an average annual salary of $39,137,281
You can see Brunson and his fellow All-Stars on Sunday evening. The first game of the round-robin tournament tips off at 5:00 p.m. ET and can be seen on NBC.
You can find out everything you need to know about All-Star weekend here.
