New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson dropped 45 points to clinch New York’s first title in 53 years, and now the Finals MVP is chasing a different kind of spotlight entirely.

At the HBO Max Emmy Nominee Celebration, Emmy-winning actress Mariska Hargitay told Variety’s Marc Malkin that Brunson’s Special Victims Unit role is close to official.

“Not quite yet! But it’s in the works!” Mariska Hargitay said at the HBO Max Emmy Nominee Celebration. “Oh, it’s happening. It’s definitely happening.”

That X update follows months of hints, starting the moment Brunson left the court after beating the San Antonio Spurs, when he told reporters his offseason plan was simply to get on SVU, a show he has watched since childhood alongside his father.

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Though the official stance is that it is all but confirmed, it would appear that the role is official. Hargitay also addressed what kind of role might fit Brunson best.

“He’s kind of magnificent that way. He is just open and ready. I don’t think there’s much that Jalen can’t do.”

That confidence tracks with how visible their friendship became during the Knicks’ run, with Hargitay courtside for much of the postseason and later joining the family at the championship parade, a bond built well before any script existed.

Asked whether she would also help Brunson chase an Emmy nomination on top of his championship, Hargitay laughed off the idea.

“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.'”

That joke lands given how loaded Brunson’s year already looks, between a Finals MVP trophy, a 32.6-point scoring average against the Spurs, and now a network premiere date of October 8 that could put him on screen before the Knicks even open their next season.

Brunson’s biggest co-sign, though, comes from an actor who has actually worn the badge. Hargitay is not the only SVU veteran ready to hand Brunson a script.

A Second SVU Star Vouches for Brunson

In an interview with TMZ Sports on June 20, former Elliot Stabler actor Christopher Meloni was asked if Brunson has what it takes to appear on the show. “Absolutely. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but he’s a world champion. He can do whatever the hell he wants.”

Meloni followed that up with a shorter but equally direct line.

“He’s got the force of will,” he said.

Coming from someone who spent 12 seasons on the franchise before headlining his own spinoff, Organized Crime, that endorsement carries real weight inside a show now entering its 28th season on NBC.

Brunson’s path there started with a throwaway line to reporters right after his championship win, but between Hargitay’s teasing and Meloni’s backing, it now looks less like a joke and more like a formality waiting on paperwork before the show returns October 8.