Paul Wesley reveals Jalen Brunson is a huge 'Vampire Diaries' fan

Paul Wesley has revealed that he surprised New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson with a special guest after learning the NBA player is a devoted The Vampire Diaries fan.

Appearing on the Call Her Daddy podcast, the actor shared that Brunson and his wife are huge fans of the hit supernatural drama, inspiring him to invite his former co-star Nina Dobrev to a Knicks game earlier this year.

“I've been going to Knicks games for years, and I'm friends with Jalen Brunson,” Wesley said. “He's a good buddy of mine. Him and his wife are huge Vampire Diaries fans.”

Knowing how much Brunson admired the series, Wesley decided to keep his surprise under wraps until just before tip-off.

“I texted him right before the game. I was like, ‘Hey, just so you know, I'm bringing Elena to the game,’” Wesley recalled, referring to Dobrev's iconic character, Elena Gilbert.

According to the actor, Brunson was thrilled by the unexpected news.

The game took place on April 3, when the Knicks dominated the Chicago Bulls with a 136-96 victory. Wesley jokingly suggested Dobrev's presence may have inspired Brunson's standout performance.

“They won by, like, 50 points, which is unheard of,” Wesley said. “I was like, ‘Jalen's doing this for Elena, isn't he? I know he is.’”

The Vampire Diaries aired for eight seasons between 2009 and 2017, becoming one of The CW's biggest hits.

The series followed Elena Gilbert, played by Dobrev, and her complicated relationship with vampire brothers Stefan and Damon Salvatore, portrayed by Wesley and Ian Somerhalder.

Brunson has become known for his love of television as much as basketball. Following the Knicks' Game 5 victory in June, the NBA Finals MVP joked that his next goal was to appear on Law & Order: SVU, a series starring longtime Knicks supporter Mariska Hargitay.

The basketball star has previously admitted being starstruck when he first met Hargitay, while the actress has praised Brunson as a “magnificent human.”