Jalen Brunson adopted Stevie from Long Island superfans who name their rescues after Knicks

The story began this spring when Ali Brunson visited Jake’s Rescue Ranch, a small nonprofit run out of Manhasset on Nassau County’s North Shore, and fell for a six-month-old black mixed-breed puppy. Ali brought the Brunsons’ golden doodle Kona to the meet-and-greet to make sure the dogs would get along; Jalen joined by FaceTime and the couple chose the pup together. The adoption was finalized in April 2024, and the dog was named Stevie, a nod to Stevenson High School in Illinois where Jalen and Ali first met and where Brunson later proposed. Shelter founder Alison Monaco shared the backstory on Tuesday by posting a two-year-old video of Jalen cradling Stevie. The clip quickly went viral on Instagram, racking up more than 50,000 likes and hundreds of thousands of views as it circulated during the NBA Finals. In the video Brunson thanked Monaco and urged followers to support the rescue, and fans flooded the comments with affection for the Knicks captain and his new pup. Monaco started Jake’s Rescue Ranch about a decade ago and operates it from her North Shore home. Her family are avid Knicks fans — a passion she traces back to her 15-year-old son Luca — and for years they’ve been naming rescued dogs after players. Past names include Clyde Frazier, Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle; their own family dog is called Bridges after Mikal Bridges, and they’ve also used Brunson and Derrick Rose. The family’s fandom and collecting of Knicks memorabilia is part of the backstory: Monaco’s house includes framed jerseys and even a Brunson votive candle. Luca and Monaco’s husband were at Madison Square Garden for Game 4 and planned to travel to San Antonio for Game 5, after the Knicks’ comeback win that put the team ahead three games to one in the series. Stevie has already joined Kona as part of the Brunsons’ “Brunson Doodles” Instagram account and has made appearances at MSG. The adoption adds to Jalen Brunson’s public record of off-court generosity; since joining the Knicks he has been active with Knicks Care and community programs in the New York area. Monaco says the viral moment is also a chance to help other dogs in her care, particularly Bella, a Labrador mix recently taken in from Texas. She quipped she’d love to match Bella with Bridges, but emphasized any loving home would do. Monaco has overseen more than 500 adoptions through Jake’s Rescue Ranch; anyone interested in adopting Bella or supporting the rescue can find Jake’s Rescue Ranch on Instagram or via the rescue’s website.