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Ivory CoastJalen Brunson Gets Comedy Assist From Knicks Teammates on SNL
Knicks star Jalen Brunson hosted the Saturday Night Live season premiere with comedic help from four of his New York teammates.
A Team Effort on Stage
Jalen Brunson took the stage as the host for the 52nd season premiere of Saturday Night Live. The New York Knicks star and reigning NBA Finals MVP did not have to carry the opening monologue alone.
Four of his teammates, Karl Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart, sat in the audience. They stepped up to help Brunson by asking him questions during his opening segment.
Towns asked if a person could foul out of the show. When Brunson told him it was not possible, Towns joked that he could stay for the whole broadcast. Bridges asked about his own long arms, while Anunoby brought up a missed shot by Brunson in Game 4 of the NBA Finals against San Antonio. Anunoby had tipped in that miss to help the Knicks win the game.
Inside Jokes and Big Money
Josh Hart, who hosts a podcast with Brunson, asked his teammate about leaving 113 million dollars on the table when he signed his contract with New York. Brunson responded with a question of his own. He asked Hart why he poked him in the backside after the Knicks won the NBA Cup last season.
During his monologue, Brunson also joked about Madison Square Garden. He called the arena the exact spot where Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce got married.
He also poked fun at Kenan Thompson, who portrayed television personality Stephen A. Smith. Brunson joked that Smith owed him an apology for questioning his basketball abilities.
Joining Basketball Royalty
Brunson made history with his appearance on the show. He became the first active NBA player to host Saturday Night Live since LeBron James did so in 2007. He is also the first professional athlete to host since Travis Kelce in 2023.
Only a few other NBA players have hosted the show. Michael Jordan hosted in 1991, Charles Barkley hosted four times, and Bill Russell hosted in 1979. Brunson joined Jordan, Barkley and James as the only NBA players to host a season premiere.
Brunson compared his comedy approach to his performance on the court. He said he would approach the show the same way he approaches a Knicks finals game. "The first three quarters of the show are going to be god awful," Brunson said. "The last sketch is going to be amazing."
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