While Jalen Brunson is leading the Knicks through one of their biggest playoff runs in years, there’s another part of his story that’s been getting attention lately – his relationship with his Jewish wife, Dr. Alison “Ali” Marks.

They go way back as high school sweethearts. The two met in the Chicago area as teenagers and basically grew up together. Long before NBA arenas, contracts, and Madison Square Garden, it was just the two of them as a loving couple. As Brunson’s basketball career continued to rise, their relationship remained a constant, surviving the challenges that often come with life in professional sports.

Ali Marks comes from a Jewish family background, something that’s been mentioned in recent profiles, highlighting how her roots – her Jewish family, especially, her late father, has been shaping her life. Brunson has spoken respectfully about that part of her story, especially when talking about how close she is to her family.

In 2022, Brunson proposed back at their old high school gym, the same place where a lot of their early memories started. They got married the following year at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Chicago (July 2023), and they even signed a ketuvah, the Jewish marriage document. 

Today, Ali works as a doctor of physical therapy and is often seen at Knicks games supporting Brunson, sometimes with their Jewish daughter. The two welcomed their first child in 2024. The couple named their daughter, Jordyn James, after Alison’s late Jewish father.

And as Brunson’s basketball career keeps reaching new levels in New York, one thing has never changed: the family that has been by his side from the start.

Photo Credits: “In Style” & Ali Brunson (IG)