Jalen Brunson traded the basketball court for Studio 8H when the New York Knicks star made his hosting debut on Saturday Night Live during the show’s Season 52 premiere.
The episode gave Brunson plenty of opportunities to poke fun at his NBA career, bring several of his Knicks teammates into the spotlight and reference one of the biggest celebrity weddings of the year.
Brunson also became the first athlete to host SNL since Travis Kelce took on the role in 2023, creating an especially fitting moment when the Knicks star referenced Kelce and Taylor Swift during his opening monologue.
Brunson brings the Knicks to Studio 8H
Four of Brunson’s Knicks teammates made surprise appearances during the monologue. Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart appeared in the audience before joining Brunson onstage.
The cameos allowed the NBA players to playfully question their teammate about his unexpected move into comedy.
Towns joked about whether an SNL performer could somehow commit enough fouls to be removed from the show, while Hart poked fun at Brunson’s decision to remain with New York despite reportedly leaving a significant amount of money on the table.
The group later returned for the show’s closing moments, joining Brunson during the goodnights.
Their appearances added another layer to an episode built around Brunson’s transition from professional basketball player to late night comedy host.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce get a Madison Square Garden shoutout
Brunson also found a way to incorporate Swift and Kelce into his monologue.
The pop superstar and Kansas City Chiefs tight end were married at Madison Square Garden earlier this year, giving Brunson an easy connection between the celebrity couple and his home basketball arena.
With the NBA season approaching, Brunson joked about returning to Madison Square Garden and remembering that the venue had recently hosted Swift and Kelce’s wedding.
The reference tied two major entertainment and sports moments together while acknowledging the unusual history of the arena, which regularly serves as the home court for the Knicks.
For him, the joke also provided a natural way to connect his SNL debut with the worlds of sports and pop culture that have followed him throughout his career.
The NBA star leaned into comedy
Brunson did not limit his appearance to the opening monologue. He appeared in several sketches throughout the episode, including a prerecorded parody inspired by High School Musical.
In the sketch, He joined a fictional basketball team that broke into song and dance. His character ultimately stole the spotlight from the team’s supposed star player, giving the NBA guard an opportunity to play off his real life status as one of New York’s most recognizable athletes.
The episode also gave him the chance to joke about his approach to hosting the show. He compared the structure of the SNL episode with a Knicks game, suggesting that the strongest material would come toward the end.
By the time the show wrapped, his Knicks teammates were back onstage for the closing goodnights.
Brunson has another NBC appearance ahead
The SNL hosting job is not his only upcoming television appearance.
The Knicks star is also scheduled to make his acting debut on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in November. He is set to appear in an episode of the long running NBC crime drama, marking another step into scripted television.
Brunson’s SNL appearance also placed him in a small group of professional athletes who have taken on hosting duties. Kelce was the previous athlete to host the program, doing so in 2023 before his relationship with Swift became an even larger part of his public profile.
Following Brunson‘s Season 52 premiere, the upcoming SNL hosting lineup includes Dakota Johnson, Shane Gillis and Inde Navarrette.
For one night, though, his focus was less on preparing for another NBA season and more on showing that a basketball star could handle the bright lights of live comedy.
