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Inside Knicks’ Jalen Brunson and Superfan Mariska Hargitay’s Sweet Bond
From Knicks in five to solving crime.
Just when it thought Jalen Brunson’s 2026 couldn’t get any better—having already clinched an NBA Championship title, a finals MVP award and an SNL hosting gig—he can also now add detective to his resume.
The New York Knicks point guard just assisted his good pal and Knicks superfan Mariska Hargitay with a guest appearance on the Nov. 5 episode of Law & Order: SVU.
In the scene, Hargitay’s Olivia Benson meets up with Brunson’s character in a restaurant, remarking, “Detective Madison. Look at you out of uniform, huh? Congratulations on the promotion.”
Brunson (a.k.a. Detective Madison) is seated at the counter dressed in nondescript clothing, save for the NYPD badge hanging around his neck.
“Thanks, Captain,” the detective, whose name is a cheeky hat-tip to the Knicks home stadium Madison Square Garden, responds. “Focused on my goals, gave it 110 percent. Things worked out.”
And in what is perhaps a veiled nod to the Knicks’ epic victory—during which Brunson was a key player who, in fact, did give it 110 percent—Benson responds with a small smile, “Yeah, they did.”
From there, the scene involves Det. Madison giving Benson the rundown on a former perp he got tangled with, calling him a “real pain in the ass.” Her interest is especially piqued, however, by his mention of a metal rod in the vehicle.
The info turns out to be a slam dunk, with the metal rod later confirmed as the weapon the episode’s victim had been attacked with, serving as the evidence the team needed to hopefully put the perp away for good.
Virginia Sherwood/NBC
And while Brunson’s cameo was nothing more than a fast break in the action of the episode, his presence still packed a punch.
“Short appearance but I loved it,” one fan wrote on Law & Order’s Instagram post teasing his appearance, while another added, “Jalen is so very talented!!!”
Brunson and Hargitay’s onscreen appearance was a perfect full-circle moment for fans, who have long loved seeing the Law & Order actress sitting courtside in MSG to cheer on Brunson and the team.
In fact, Brunson has gone so far as to even say Hargitay gets top billing on his personal Mt. Rushmore of celebrity Knicks fans.
Virginia Sherwood/NBC
“My number one, love her to death, and she knows it—Mariska Hargitay,” Brunson previously revealed to Richard Jefferson, who pointed out the Knicks player was blushing as he said it.
Thankfully, the feeling is very mutual, with Hargitay saying she feels “profoundly grateful” for Brunson’s leadership on the Knicks and how the team has “brought our city together.”
For more of the A-listers who would happily get a traveling violation just to sit courtside at a Knicks game, read on.
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Timothée Chalamet
When it comes to Timothée Chalamet's fandoms, his love of the New York Knicks reigns supreme.
"My grandma was a huge Knicks fan, so that's what turned me onto them," the Marty Supreme star told 7PM in Brooklyn in 2025. "If you live in New York, you are a Knicks fan."
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Kylie Jenner
And if you've been keeping up, then you know Kylie Jenner has been joining Chalamet, whom she's dated since 2023, courtside to cheer on the Knicks.
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Ben Stiller
You could never sever Ben Stiller's tie to the Knicks. In fact, the Severance director said that if he could choose between winning an Oscar or having the team take the championship title, he'd pick the latter.
"I really think, at the end of the day, if I knew that I had the choice, I would give it to the Knicks," he said on New Heights in 2025, "because I knew at least I had the choice in this weird, non-real situation."
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Spike Lee
Spike Lee is a longtime Knicks superfan and believes the 2025-2026 roster has what it takes to secure the trophy.
"I don’t care about San Antonio. OKC,” the filmmaker told the New York Post in May 2026. “We’re going to win.”
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Tracy Morgan
Nothing could rock Tracy Morgan's love for the Knicks. As the 30 Rock alum put it on The Rich Eisen Show in 2021, "I'm the biggest Knicks fan there is besides Spike."
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Fat Joe
What's Luv? The way Fat Joe feels about the Knicks.
In fact, hours before the Knicks confirmed their appearance in the finals, the rapper reflected on the decades the team struggled, noting to ESPN, "It’s time. We paid our dues."
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Pete Davidson
Live from New York...it's Pete Davidson. The Saturday Night Live alum has often been seen sitting courtside.
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Chris Rock
Chris Rock's loyalty to the Knicks is no laughing matter as the comedian has attended many games over the years.
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Larry David
Larry David isn't going to curb his enthusiasm for the Knicks.
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JB Smoove
And neither is his costar JB Smoove.
"How it started vs How it ended," the actor wrote on Instagram in 2024. "It’ll always be Knicks for life."
Jordyn Woods / Instagram
Jordyn Woods
Jordyn Woods' love for the Knicks extends on and off the court. The Woods by Jordyn founder is engaged to the team's center Karl-Anthony Towns.
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Cardi B
While Cardi B has a song called "Bodak Yellow," she's all about that orange and blue. In fact, the rapper and former Patriots player Stefon Diggs officially debuted their romance at a 2025 game between the Knicks and the Boston Celtics.
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Anne Hathaway
Is Anne Hathaway wearing the Chanel boots Knicks colors? Yeah, she is. The Devil Wears Prada star showed where her loyalties lie by donning an orange and blue pocket square to The Tonight Show in April 2026.
"I’m very chill," she told host Jimmy Fallon about her fandom. "I’m very loving and calm. But I’m also the type of fan that I considered wearing an OG jersey out here today."
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Jimmy Fallon
Speaking of which, Fallon is also a big fan of the Knicks, with him even bringing his eldest daughter Franny along for the ride during the 2026 NBA playoffs.
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Michael J. Fox
You don't have to travel back to the future to see how much Michael J. Fox loves the Knicks. The actor has gone to many games with his wife Tracy Pollan.
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Jon Stewart
Throughout the Knicks' ups and downs, Jon Stewart has continued to support the team, with The Daily Show host calling himself a "ride or die" fan.
Instagram / Maggie Rogers
Maggie Rogers
A Knicks win is music to Maggie Rogers' ears as the singer has documented her love for the organization.
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