New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson is set to host the season premiere of "Saturday Night Live" on Sept. 26, marking the first time a player from the Knicks franchise has hosted the venerable sketch comedy program. Brunson's appearance comes shortly after leading the Knicks to an NBA championship, where he was named Finals MVP and ended the team's 53-year title drought.
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Brunson joins an exclusive list of athletes who have hosted "SNL." He will be the fifth NBA player to take on hosting duties, following in the footsteps of Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Charles Barkley. Additionally, he becomes one of three athletes from New York-based teams to host, alongside Eli Manning and Derek Jeter.
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In addition to his upcoming SNL appearance, Brunson has been developing his comedic timing through his podcast "The Roommates Show" with teammate Josh Hart. The duo is scheduled to host a live show at Randall's Island Park on Sept. 24, just two days before Brunson's SNL debut.
The 52nd season of "Saturday Night Live" will premiere at 11:30 p.m. on NBC. The musical guest for Brunson's episode will be the pop group Katseye.
Brunson, who recently celebrated his 30th birthday, has expressed interest in potential post-playing career paths, including coaching or working in media. He noted his podcasting experience as a factor influencing his consideration of media roles, and mentioned coaching high school or professional basketball as possibilities, while expressing reservations about coaching college due to Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) regulations.