Mariska Hargitay confirmed to Variety at the HBO Max Emmy Nominee Celebration that New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson is set to appear on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."
"It's definitely happening," Hargitay said. "He's kind of magnificent that way. He is just open and ready. I don't think there is much Jalen can't do."
Variety shared the news on X on August 16, 2026, writing that Hargitay "confirms that Jalen Brunson is getting a role in 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.'"
Asked whether she'd also like to help Brunson land an Emmy nomination to go along with his NBA championship, Hargitay laughed off the idea of piling on more accolades. "I do! I don't think he can handle any more awards, to be honest. Right now, I think he's like, 'Give me a rest,'" she said.
Speculation about Brunson joining the long-running NBC procedural began right after his championship win against the San Antonio Spurs in June. When a reporter asked what he planned to do during the offseason, Brunson replied, "Try to get on 'SVU.'"
Hargitay had already been hinting at the crossover before Variety's confirmation. Appearing on "Today," she said, "I'm hoping that we might — don't tell anyone, but — see him on SVU," adding, "We've got some things in the works."
Former "SVU" star Christopher Meloni weighed in as well, telling TMZ Sports that Brunson "absolutely" has what it takes to join the cast. "I don't know if you've heard, but he's the world champion," Meloni said. "He can do whatever the hell he wants." He added, "He's got the force of will."
Photo: Ted Eytan, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
