Jalen Brunson has conquered Madison Square Garden. His next New York stage will be a few blocks downtown at 30 Rockefeller Plaza.
The New York Knicks captain and reigning NBA Finals MVP will host the Season 52 premiere of “Saturday Night Live” on Sept. 26, the show announced Wednesday. Global girl group KATSEYE will join Brunson as the musical guest, making its debut on the long-running NBC sketch comedy series.
The assignment is Brunson’s latest marker of how dramatically his place in New York has changed. Four years after arriving as a respected point guard whose $104 million contract drew skepticism in some corners, he will open one of television’s most recognizable shows as the face of the reigning NBA champions.
“SNL” airs at 11:30 p.m. Eastern on NBC and streams on Peacock. The season premiere will come a little more than three weeks before the Knicks begin their championship defense.
Brunson, 30, will be followed by Dakota Johnson on Oct. 3, Shane Gillis on Oct. 10 and “Obsession” actress Inde Navarrette for the Halloween episode. Turnstile, Rosalía and Gracie Abrams are scheduled as their respective musical guests.
Jalen Brunson Joins Select NBA Company
Professional athletes have produced some memorable — and occasionally unpredictable — “SNL” episodes. Brunson will join a basketball hosting list that includes Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and LeBron James.
Jordan opened Season 17 in September 1991 with Public Enemy as the musical guest, an appearance remembered in part for his participation in the “Bill Swerski’s Super Fans” sketch. James hosted the Season 33 premiere in September 2007 alongside Kanye West. Barkley has returned to host four times.
Brunson’s dry delivery and understated personality offer the show a different comedic canvas. He has displayed his timing alongside Josh Hart on their “Roommates Show” podcast, usually serving as the restrained counterweight to Hart’s wandering stories and relentless needling.
The question is how far Brunson will allow “SNL” to push him. His height, left-handed playing style, Villanova connections and relationship with his father, Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson, all provide obvious material. So do Hart and the many famous Knicks fans who spent the championship run courtside.
Knicks Championship Expanded Brunson’s New York Reach
The booking follows the defining season of Brunson’s career.
He averaged 32.6 points, 4.6 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals during the NBA Finals, then scored 45 points in New York’s championship-clinching 94-90 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. His performance earned him the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP award and delivered the Knicks their first title since 1973.
Brunson and his teammates subsequently brought the Larry O’Brien Trophy to “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” where they were joined by Spike Lee and the Wu-Tang Clan.
Television had already entered Brunson’s offseason plans. Moments after winning the championship, he said his next goal was landing a role on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni publicly welcomed the idea.
Instead, Brunson’s first major post-championship acting test will be live, in front of a national audience.
New York spent decades searching for another Knicks star capable of owning its biggest basketball stage. Brunson now has another stage to make his shot, but no timeout if a joke misses.
Knicks’ Jalen Brunson Lands Major TV Role After Championship Run