When Jalen Brunson crossed paths with Alison Marks in the hallway of Illinois’s Adlai E Stevenson High School, neither could have foreseen the life they’d live together.
Back then, Jalen was just a ‘cocky’ freshman trying to convince a sophomore that he was a varsity star, long before the bright lights of Madison Square Garden beckoned.
Meanwhile, Alison – better known these days as Ali Brunson – was skeptical about the future New York Knicks star. ‘I said, “Oh, you’re on JV (Junior Varsity)? That’s great,”‘ she told the Daily Mail in an exclusive interview.
Jalen was quick to correct her – the young athlete was already too good to play in the junior league. ‘I always say that he was cocky but he was always like, “No, I was confident. I was confident in my abilities and I wanted it to be said.”‘
Years later, it’s fair to say his confidence was well-placed. In the modern day, Jalen is regarded as one of the best players in the NBA, having earned a plethora of accolades so far in his career – including three consecutive All-Star selections.
Moreover, Jalen and Ali now live what many would call a dream life. The couple married in 2023, a decade after they started dating back in October 2013. They welcomed their first child, Jordyn James Brunson, into the world just two years later.
The couple first began dating in October 2013, before tying the knot in 2023
Ali Brunson has revealed the story behind her relationship with New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson
However, it all could have been very different.
‘We both were talking to other people in our own grades, [but] we would see each other in the hallways and be like, “Hi, Jalen.” “Hi, Ali.” Very cutesy, I guess,’ Ali explained.
Despite the slow start, they quickly grew closer – labeling each other as ‘future’ spouses in their phones long before the multimillion-dollar contracts arrived.
‘My name in his phone and his name in my phone was Jalen, your future husband, Ali, your future wife,’ she told the Daily Mail. ‘I’m not even kidding. It was just a joke.’
The joke became a reality when Jalen proposed to Ali on the basketball court of their high school gym in September 2022. It was a full circle moment for the pair.
The couple officially tied the knot on July 23, 2023, at a luxurious event at the Ritz-Carlton in Chicago – where Ali wore her 2015 prom dress as a surprise on the day.
The prophecies didn’t stop at the wedding bells.
‘In high school, we were joking around and we were like, “If we ever have kids together one day, her name is going to be Jordyn.” And our daughter’s name is Jordyn. It’s very weird – full circle.’
As the couple’s relationship continued to blossom throughout their high school years, Jalen’s reputation on the basketball court similarly took off.
Ali revealed that Jalen was a ‘cocky’ freshman trying to impress her when they first met
Years on, the couple have one child together – whose name they chose while still in high school
The NBA star’s parents helped lay the foundation for not only Jalen and Ali’s relationship
The school arena would sell out as reporters and recruiters flocked to see the boy who would wake up at 5am – without fail – to practice with his father.
‘They were great at basketball – the team in general – and Jalen was the best player on the team,’ Ali said. ‘College recruiters would come, reporters would come, TV stations would come, and Jalen would be doing these interviews.
‘No one second guessed it either. It was just like, “Yeah, our team is good. Jalen is really good. Obviously this is happening.” I was just always so proud of him.
‘He took it really seriously. No one batted an eye when this attention happened because… he manifested it. He put in the work day and night to be here.’
Brunson’s endeavors on the court led him to later attend Villanova University, where he played Division I basketball, while Ali stayed close to home at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She studied kinesiology and exercise science.
The long-distance aspect of their relationship certainly threw in some curveballs for the couple. But, as Ali explained, it never threatened to derail their bond.
‘We both just understood the other person,’ she explained. ‘Jalen didn’t drink in college and he was very busy traveling and I was just in the library studying because I needed my grades to be high in order to go to PT school.
‘Of course, we had other friends. We were constantly surrounded and hanging out with people, but we would see each other on FaceTime constantly – I feel so bad for my roommates looking back at it – and he was on my computer 24/7.’
Ali claims Jalen ‘manifested’ his success and revealed his supreme confidence early on
The couple battled through long distance in order to keep their relationship going
Despite the late-night calls and the 750 mile separation from his girlfriend, Brunson went on to become one of the most decorated college basketball players in history.
He was a national champion on two occasions, won the Bob Cousy Award (given to the top men’s collegiate point guard) and was a consensus First Team All-American.
His performances quickly sparked the interest of NBA scouts across the country, and, in June 2018, Brunson was selected as the 33rd overall pick by the Dallas Mavericks.
Soon after NBA Draft night, the bright lights, lucrative contracts, screaming fans and packed arenas followed. But before any of that, both Jalen and Ali had a lot to navigate.
‘I would say Jalen’s parents were very instrumental in being a realistic outlet for us,’ Ali said, as she opened up about the advice that helped save their marriage.
‘One thing I remember them saying is just, “Keep your circle small – your family is most important.” And I really think that we’ve done that going forward.
‘There are certain friends that we’ve brought into our family status that are constantly around us, but other than that, we lean on our family so much. They are our circle.’
His parents helped lay the foundation for not only Jalen and Ali’s relationship, but also the success that eventually arrived for the childhood sweethearts.
‘I would say Jalen’s parents were very instrumental in being a realistic outlet for us,’ Ali said
Nearly eight years on from the NBA Draft night that changed their lives, Brunson is regarded as one of the best players in the league after his performances for the New York Knicks
While Jalen handles matters on the court, Ali runs AMB Physical Therapy in New York
Nearly eight years on from the draft night that changed their lives, Brunson is regarded as one of the best players in the league after his strong performances for the Knicks.
Though a championship ring still evades him, Brunson is a three-time NBA All-Star, and, last year, he led the Knicks to their first Eastern Conference Finals in 25 years.
He earns a staggering $156million contract with the team – a reward for his dazzling displays at Madison Square Garden, where Ali and Jordyn can often be found wildly cheering in support.
‘Jordyn has come to so many games,’ Ali said. ‘And there are some big fans that come – Ben Stiller is always there, Tracy Morgan is always there – and they have recognized Jordyn enough that there’s some interaction back and forth.
‘It’s just a really family-centered place. I feel really at home at MSG; I hope all the fans do too. Everyone roots for the same team and it feels very warm-hearted there.’
While Jalen is left to handle matters on the court, Ali runs AMB Physical Therapy in Scarsdale, New York, which offers injury rehab, strength training and postpartum care.
‘After I graduated, I worked in a sports medicine outpatient orthopedic office in Dallas,’ she said. ‘When we came to New York, I started my own physical therapy office.
‘I would go to clients’ or patients’ homes and do one-on-one physical therapy with them – still outpatient, so still sports medicine-related orthopedic.
‘Then I became pregnant and knew things needed to shift a little bit. So I became specialized in a pregnancy and postpartum corrective exercise specialty, which opened up this new door to women’s health in exercise.’
