Jalen Brunson was a two-time national champion at Villanova and is now the star of one of the NBA’s most popular franchises, the New York Knicks. He has been in the limelight as a basketball phenom for more than a decade, and his wife, Ali Marks, has been by his side the entire time.
Marks and Brunson have been together since high school, dating long-distance in college while he was with the Wildcats and she attended the University of Illinois. When the Dallas Mavericks picked Brunson in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft, she moved to Texas to be with him as she began her career as a physical therapist.
In 2022, Brunson signed a four-year, $104 million deal with the Knicks and proposed to Marks just two months later. Now, Brunson is the face of men’s basketball in New York as he looks to deliver the Knicks their first championship since 1973.
As Brunson continues to shine on the sport’s biggest stage, keep scrolling to learn more about his relationship with his high school sweetheart.
2013
Brunson and Marks began dating in high school, with Brunson often featuring her on his Instagram page in his junior year. The two appeared together at homecoming dances and proms throughout their years at Adlai Stevenson High School.
2015
Brunson posted a photo of himself and Marks getting ready for senior prom the spring before he got to Villanova.
“Went to prom with the best date anyone could ask for 😊,” he captioned the pic.
September 2022
Brunson and Marks announced their engagement via Instagram, captioning the post, “Forever.”
The Knicks guard popped the question on the basketball court at the couple’s high school gym shortly after he was inducted into the school’s athletics hall of fame.
July 2023
Brunson and Marks married at the Ritz-Carlton in Chicago, mere miles from where they attended high school.
“She’s always been by my side and I’m lucky to have her,” Brunson told People at the time. “I’m excited to celebrate this special milestone with all of our closest friends and family, who have been so supportive over the many years of our relationship.”
July 2024
Marks gave birth to the couple’s first baby, daughter Jordyn, on July 31. The couple announced his arrival the next day, shocking fans who didn’t even know Marks was pregnant.
January 2026
Marks exclusively told Us Weekly how welcoming her daughter allowed her New York social circle to blossom.
“It wasn’t until I had Jordyn that opened up this whole other world of moms,” she said. “I was like, ‘You guys all live here? Who knew.’”
Marks added, “It’s an amazing community, the mom world. They rally around each other for sure.”
She gushed about the group of “down to Earth” Knicks’ wives and girlfriends, but balked at being labeled as a WAG.
“I think still, at its core, it has a negative connotation,” Marks said of the term. “It’s linked to this group of women and we are connected to the sport itself. It’s, like, wife of a basketball player. It kind of depends on the situation.”
June 2026
Marks celebrated the Knicks berth in the 2026 NBA Finals by sharing a photo of her and Jordyn inside Madison Square Garden.
“Feeling thankful for all the people and moments that made this season so special thus far,” she wrote via Instagram.
