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These New York Knicks counted on an adorable second string to help carry them through the NBA Finals.
Meet the young children of MVP Jalen Brunson and teammates Josh Hart, Miles “Deuce” McBride and Jose Alvarado, all proud dads whose kids have brightened their A-list lives this season, both on and off the court.
Jordyn Brunson
NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson has been locked in with his high school sweetheart, Dr. Ali Marks Brunson, since 2013.
A decade later, they tied the knot, and on July 31, 2024, they welcomed the ultimate addition to the roster: Jordyn James Brunson.
Brunson broke the news via Instagram with a post of their newborn clutching his finger. From day one, Jordyn was drafted as the Knicks’ No. 1 fan.
On Mother’s Day, Jalen and Jordyn were spotted rocking matching pink Nike Kobe 5 PEs — custom sneakers inspired by Jordyn’s heart pajamas. Ali even brought 1-week-old Jordyn to the Garden when Jalen was named team captain in 2024 — and in the best mother-daughter style collab ever, the duo even sports matching denim jackets embroidered with Jalen’s jersey number, “11,” and a “B.”
“Jordyn sees blue/orange or photos of the Knicks logo and automatically says, ‘Dada!’” Ali Brunson told People after Game 1 of the NBA Finals. “She will cheer when someone scores a basket and loves watching highlights of Jalen.”
For Brunson, fatherhood is a full-circle moment.
He secured his NBA Finals ring with his own father and Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson by his side — making them the first father-son duo in league history to reach the Promised Land with the same franchise.
“I was good. [After] the final buzzer, I walked right to half court, shook Mitch Johnson’s hand, and then turned around. My dad was there,” Jalen said during a post-game press conference after the Knicks’ clinched the NBA Finals title. “And then [I] felt emotional from that point on.”
Hendrix and Haze Hart
Josh Hart and his wife, Shannon, have 3-year-old twin go-getters, Hendrix and Haze.
These kids are already stealing the spotlight, adorably hijacking the mic from their dad during the post-Finals victory press conference.
Another pair of high school sweethearts, Josh and Shannon started dating back in 2011 when they were just 15 years old. They tied the knot in 2021 and became parents in May 2023.
The twins are already working the camera, too.
Josh posted a June 2025 Burberry shoot on Instagram featuring the boys, and in September 2025, Hendrix and Haze hit the “Runway on Broadway” for Macy’s x Rookie Kids. When unexpected stage fright kicked in, dad promptly came to the rescue, bending down to guide them hand-in-hand down the catwalk.
After the NBA Finals win, Hendrix and Haze joined the team to pose with the trophy, and after taking some photos, the two refused to let go of the treasured award, cheering, “The Trophy!”
Ace McBride
The summer of 2025 was a double-double for Miles “Deuce” McBride, who became both a father and a children’s author. He and girlfriend Ana Zortea are the proud parents of 1-year-old Ace Katherine.
The pair met as student-athletes at West Virginia University, where Zortea was a swimmer. Now, Zortea brings Ace to the Garden decked out as a cheerleader in blue and orange skirts, custom kicks, and matching bows for every gameday look.
Zortea admits that seeing McBride embrace being a “girl-dad” has taken their relationship to another level.
“He’s been obsessed with her from the second she was born,” she said in a recent interview. “He’s always been protective with his little sister growing up, so it’s the cutest thing to see him with his own little girl.”
Nazanin and Brooklyn Alverado
Brooklyn native Jose Alvarado, who shares two daughters with his girlfriend, Flor Castillo, only joined the squad in February — but he has already made them part of the Knicks family.
Meet Nazanin “Naz” and Brooklyn — the latter named after dad’s home turf. And their roster is expanding, with Flor’s recent pregnancy post confirming they are “halfway there” with a baby boy on the way.
The Alvarado girls even offered motivation before Game 5, leaving dad a sweet voicemail: “I hope you win every single game and get the world championship. I love you.”
His step-daughter, Leah, also added a message, saying, “Thank you for treating me like I was your own and always being there for me and loving me.”
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