Knicks star Jalen Brunson crashes BFF Mariska Hargitay’s Emmys 2026 opener

Diehard New York Knicks fan Mariska Hargitay received a little Emmys 2026 hosting help from Jalen Brunson Monday night. The point guard, 30, crashed his pal’s Emmys opener at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles with a pre-taped appearance. In the cameo, Hargitay was seen steaming her ceremony dress, as she said, “It’s just a lot of pressure.” Jalen Brunson (pictured above in June 2025) crashed Mariska Hargitay’s Emmys 2026 opener Monday night. (Seen above: Hargitay at the Emmys.) Getty Images The athlete (pictured above on June 17) made a pre-taped appearance. NBC “Have you ever felt like you had millions of eyes on you and it just comes down to one night,” she added, as the camera turned to the athlete, who was steaming his New York Knicks jersey. “Seriously,” Brunson responded, referring to the Knicks’ big win at the 2026 NBA Championship. “Hey Jalen, it’s just me. I don’t have anyone to tap it in for me,” Hargitay replied as Brunson shook his head. Brunson was seen steaming his New York Knicks jersey in the cameo. NBC Brunson (pictured above on June 17) and Hargitay discussed the pressure of the latter hosting the awards ceremony. Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post Hargitay then rushed off for her pre-filmed opener, which showed her singing a rendition of Queen’s 1977 track, “We Will Rock You.” Just last week, Hargitay was asked in a Hollywood Reporter interview whether Brunson would make a cameo. “Not sure, but maybe OG [Anunoby] will come flying in with 1.2 seconds left,” she quipped, referencing a game-winning shot by Brunson’s teammate in Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Variety reported Monday that while Brunson indeed would take part, his appearance would be pre-taped and not live. The actress (pictured above on June 26 with Brunson, his wife, Ali Marks, and her husband, Peter Hermann) teased the possibility of a Brunson cameo last week. Bruce Glikas/WireImage She noted that “maybe OG [would] come flying in with 1.2 seconds left,” referencing one of Brunson’s teammates game-winning shots. NBAE via Getty Images Want more celebrity and pop culture news? Start your day with Page Six Daily. Thanks for signing up! Ahead of the show, which films in Hollywood, Brunson was out and about in the Big Apple. He got a shout-out during Harry Styles’ Madison Square Garden residency show Saturday, where the former One Direction member labeled him “the king of New York.” Brunson also attended the US Open on the days before and after the concert — and sat beside Hargitay’s fellow Knicks fan Ben Stiller. Stiller and Hargitay, the first female to helm the Emmy Awards solo in 15 years, were both front and center when Brunson’s team won the NBA championship in June. Follow Page Six’s coverage of the 2026 Emmy Awards Emmys 2026 red carpet live updates: See all the celebrity looks How to watch Mariska Hargitay host Emmys 2026 for free: Red carpet, livestream The best Emmys red carpet looks of all time: Zendaya, Blake Lively and more The “Law & Order: SVU” star (pictured above on June 17) ultimately claimed she was “not sure.” Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images Hargitay (pictured above on June 10 with Taylor Swift) is a diehard fan of the New York Knicks. Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post However, it was Hargitay who Brunson name-dropped as the person he always looks for on the sidelines. Dubbing the “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” star,” 62, his “No. 1” on “The Richard Jefferson Show” at the time, Brunson added, “Love her to death [and] she knows it.” After his NBA Finals win, Brunson made headlines for joking his next stop was “to try to go to ‘SVU'” — something Hargitay recently teased is “in the works.” He went on to show support for Hargitay at one of her Broadway performances starring in “Every Brilliant Thing.” In June, Brunson called Hargitay the “No. 1” person he looks for on celeb row while playing. Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post Brunson, meanwhile, supported the Golden Globe winner (pictured above on June 8 with Christopher Meloni) during her own endeavors, attending one of her Broadway performances earlier this year. Jason Szenes for the New York Post Brunson and the Golden Globe winner posed for backstage snaps with their respective spouses, Ali Marks and Peter Hermann. The following month, Hargitay was announced as the Emmys host. She gushed in a statement, “Bringing important stories into the light has been the heartbeat of my career. It’s my great honor to host the 78th Emmy Awards … and celebrate this extraordinary community of storytellers.” Community Guidelines Welcome to the Page Six Community! Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas in a safe space. In order to do so, we've created a simple set of rules that will improve your experience. Simply put, keep it civil. 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