Jalen Brunson makes Knicks history hosting SNL…
Live from New York, it’s Knicks MVP Jalen Brunson.
Jalen Brunson once again made Knicks history as the first Big Apple basketball star from the franchise to host “Saturday Night Live.”
Brunson, who just turned 30 earlier this month, traded in his basketball expertise for sketch comedy as he dazzled in the season 52 premiere of “SNL” that includes musical visitor pop group Katseye on Saturday night time.
Jalen Brunson hosted the “Saturday Night Live” Season 52 premiere on Saturday. NBC / SNL
Fresh off the back of his thrilling run to the NBA championship which ended the Knicks’ 53-year title drought, Brunson opened his monologue nonchalantly saying he had a “pretty good summer.”
“So the first three quarters of the show are gonna be god awful, but the last sketch is gonna be amazing,” Brunson joked, in a reference to the Knicks’ a number of Finals comebacks.
Brunson quipped about how he’s excited to return to the long-lasting Madison Square Garden for the upcoming NBA season in “the exact same spot where Taylor and Travis got married” in July.
The Knicks MVP poked enjoyable at ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, portrayed by “SNL” mainstay Kenan Thompson, joking that the broadcaster owes him an apology for questioning his potential to lead the group to the championship.
Fellow Knicks gamers, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns have been in the viewers at 30 Rockefeller for Brunson’s hosting debut and later joined him on stage.
Brunson was joined in his opening monologue by fellow Knicks gamers NBC / SNL
During his monologue, Brunson took viewers questions from his fellow Championship-winning group members which included Bridges asking if his over 7 ft arm spam is long and if he actually took a $113 million pay cut re-signing with the Knicks.
Towns fanboys over Brunson, claiming he’s a “big fan,” but cheekily asks if he can “foul out of ‘SNL.’”
Brunson says no, prompting Towns to say, “so I could be here like the whole show? Nice,” incomes a roaring ovation from the viewers.
“OG” then asks Brunson, “Remember in game 4 when you took that shot at the end and you missed it” — referring to Brunson’s missed shot in San Antonio that was tipped in by Anunoby, guaranteeing the Knicks would win the sport.
Karl-Anthony Towns was in the viewers for Brunson’s “SNL” hosting debut. NBC / SNL
Brunson even put Hart on the spot, asking the taking pictures guard why he poked his thumb into his bottom on live tv while celebrating profitable the NBA Cup in December 2025 which grew to become a viral web clip.
During the show, Knicks die-hard fan Ben Stiller took to X declaring Brunson’s monologue to be the “BEST MONOLOGUE EVER.”
In one sketch, Brunson broke out singing, flexing his vocals while dunking on the long-lasting Disney film “High School Musical.”
In the ultimate sketch of the night time, Brunson is seen in the Knicks’ locker room when his third grade basketball coach sneaks in and praises how “proud of you I am” while joking about the most important steak Brunson has ever eaten.
Knicks MVP Jalen Brunson hosted “Saturday Night Live” alongside musical visitor Katseye. NBC via AP
Brunson closed the show by saying he’s “Going to get back to my real job pretty soon” and was joined on stage by musical visitor Katseye, who was decked out in Knicks jackets and hats.
The Knicks MVP is just the fifth NBA participant to host in the show’s virtually 51-year run — following in the footsteps of Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, LeBron James and three-time host Charles Barkley, according to a checklist compiled by Sporting News.
Brunson is also only the third athlete from a New York-based group to host the late-night show, becoming a member of former Giants great Eli Manning and Yankees Hall of Famer Derek Jeter.
Brunson teased his “SNL” hosting debut earlier this week with a skit that includes the key to New York City. NBC via AP
Brunson, who helped end the Knicks’ 53-year championship drought, is the first Big Apple basketball participant to host “SNL.” Getty Images
Ahead of the nor’easter set to pummel the Big Apple, the first-time host shocked devoted followers braving the weather Friday night time making an attempt to secure tickets inside the studio at 30 Rockefeller.
NBC pages handed out expensive Levain cookies to hopeful followers who must camp out in line from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. the night time before the show’s taping to obtain a quantity, which can or could not get them into the studio for Saturday night time.
“It was really, really nice. And I do believe that it actually came from him and his team and they were generous because I’m sure when he hears that people are sitting on the sidewalk, even with potential tickets, that’s a big deal,” Judson said.
The level guard made sure that everybody in the road, which prolonged past 100 people, was handed one of the well-known New York City cookies — that value $5.75 at Levain.
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