# Knicks star Jalen Brunson is opening the Emmys

> Mariska Hargitay's basketball buddy kicks off the 78th Emmys, and Reba McEntire sings for Dolly Parton.
- Title: Knicks star Jalen Brunson is opening the Emmys · Variety
- Summary: Mariska Hargitay's basketball buddy kicks off the 78th Emmys, and Reba McEntire sings for Dolly Parton. Monday's Emmys leans on star cameos and anniversary…
- Keywords: emmys, television, jalen brunson, mariska hargitay, awards, entertainment, culture, Knicks, star, Jalen, Brunson, opening
- Source: Variety — https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/new-york-knicks-jalen-brunson-emmys-mariska-hargitay-1236860658
- Author: Michael Schneider
- Published: 2026-09-13T20:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: emmys, television, jalen brunson, mariska hargitay, awards, entertainment, culture
## A point guard opens the Emmys
Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson is expected to appear in a pre-taped bit at the very top of Monday's 78th Emmys telecast.
## Why Brunson, of all people
Host Mariska Hargitay is a devoted Knicks fan and a friend of Brunson's, which makes the cameo a personal joke rather than a random celebrity drop-in.
## Reba sings for Dolly
Reba McEntire has been tapped to perform a Dolly Parton song as a tribute to the late icon.

> Reba McEntire has been tapped to perform a Dolly Parton song in tribute to the late icon.
## Charlie's Angels turns 50
Jaclyn Smith, Cheryl Ladd and Kate Jackson reunite on stage for the show's 50th anniversary.
## Buffy hits 30
Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz mark three decades of "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer" in a separate tribute segment.
## Kahan and a humanitarian award
Noah Kahan performs "Bridge Over Troubled Water" during In Memoriam, and Julianna Margulies is expected to hand Michael J. Fox the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award.
## Key takeaway

Monday's Emmys leans on star cameos and anniversary reunions to hold an audience, not just trophies.