Jalen Brunson makes Knicks history hosting ‘SNL’ season 52 premiere

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 skills for sketch comedy as he dazzled in the season 52 premiere of “SNL” featuring musical guest pop group Katseye on Saturday night.

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’ multiple Finals comebacks. 

Brunson quipped about how he’s excited to return to the iconic 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 fun at ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, portrayed by “SNL” mainstay Kenan Thompson, joking that the broadcaster owes him an apology for questioning his ability to lead the team to the championship.

Fellow Knicks players, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns were in the audience at 30 Rockefeller for Brunson’s hosting debut and later joined him on stage.

During his monologue, Brunson took audience questions from his fellow Championship-winning team members which included Bridges asking if his over 7 feet arm spam is long and if he really took a $113 million pay cut re-signing with the Knicks.

Towns fanboys over Brunson, claiming he is 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,” earning a roaring ovation from the audience. 

“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, ensuring the Knicks would win the game.

Brunson even put Hart on the spot, asking the shooting guard why he poked his thumb into his backside on live television while celebrating winning the NBA Cup in December 2025 which became a viral internet 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 iconic Disney movie “High School Musical.”

In the final sketch of the night, 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 biggest steak Brunson has ever eaten.

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 guest Katseye, who was decked out in Knicks jackets and hats. 

The Knicks MVP is just the fifth NBA player to host in the show’s almost 51-year run — following in the footsteps of Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, LeBron James and three-time host Charles Barkley, according to a list compiled by Sporting News.

Brunson is also only the third athlete from a New York-based team to host the late-night show, joining former Giants great Eli Manning and Yankees Hall of Famer Derek Jeter.

Ahead of the nor’easter set to pummel the Big Apple, the first-time host surprised dedicated fans braving the elements Friday night trying to secure tickets inside the studio at 30 Rockefeller.

NBC pages handed out pricey Levain cookies to hopeful fans who must camp out in line from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. the night before the show’s taping to receive a number, which may or may not get them into the studio for Saturday night. 

“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 point guard made sure that everyone in the line, which extended beyond 100 people, was handed one of the famous New York City cookies — that cost $5.75 at Levain.