Called His Shot: Knicks Star Jalen Brunson Lands Guest Role on “Law & Order: SVU”
Jalen Brunson is taking his next big shot. When the Knicks superstar was asked what he would do in the offseason after he took the Knicks to their first NBA Championship in 53 years this past June, Brunson said he’d “try to get on SVU.” The most Yoda-like of NBA stars, Brunson rarely tries; he does. Now he’ll be on Law & Order: SVU.
Brunson is headed to SVU for a Season 28 guest role. He’ll be joining his friend Mariska Hargitay, fresh off her successful turn as host of the 78th Emmy Awards, in the iconic police procedural.
Brunson’s role is being kept quiet, but we do know he’ll appear in the November 5 episode. Will Brunson play himself, given it’s a New York-set show and he is a New York legend? Or will he play an officer or detective involved in an investigation? There’s also the possibility that Brunson’s character goes another way completely, and given the show’s context, in which Hargitay’s Detective Olivia Benson leads a team of specially trained NYPD detectives who investigate sex crimes, human trafficking, domestic violence, and more, the possibilities are as endless as they are grim. Although the Getty image of Brunson on set shows him wearing a badge around his neck, it’s possible it was meant to throw us off about who he’s actually playing. Or, it’s precisely what it looks like, and he’s playing an officer.
Brunson had a cameo in a pre-recorded segment alongside Hargitay to launch the 2026 Emmys telecast, appearing as himself as the host hastily prepared to head to the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles. Brunson and Hargitay have been friends for years, and the latter is a major Knicks fan who has gone to as many games as she can.
Hargitay hasn’t been shy about Brunson’s potential acting chops. As she told Variety in August, “It’s definitely happening. He’s kind of magnificent that way. He is just open and ready. I don’t think there is much Jalen can’t do.”
Before appearing on SVU, Brunson will have another quintessential New York experience when he hosts the 52nd season premiere of Saturday Night Live on September 26.
Will Brunson be ready to shine on the big stage? We jest.
Featured image: OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA – MARCH 29: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks drives to the basket during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center on March 29, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by William Purnell/Getty Images)
