New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson will host the upcoming Saturday Night Live premiere.

New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson will host the Season 52 premiere of Saturday Night Live on Sept. 26, with KATSEYE as the musical guest. A promotional sketch features the ceremonial Key to the City he received from Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his attempts to open Studio 8H, until comedian Ben Marshall explains that the door must be pulled. Brunson, the NBA Finals MVP who scored 45 points in the Knicks’ title-clinching Game 5, will be the first active NBA player to host SNL since LeBron James in 2007 and the first Knicks player to host. The Knicks will open their title defense against the 76ers on Oct. 20.
Brunson will also guest-star in Season 28, Episode 5 of “Law & Order: SVU” on Nov. 5. He is a longtime fan of the series, and details of his role have not been disclosed.
Brunson will be the fifth NBA player to host “SNL,” following Bill Russell, LeBron James, Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan.
Brunson and his wife, Ali, had dinner with several “SNL” cast members ahead of his hosting debut, including Kenan Thompson, Colin Jost, Marcello Hernández, Ashley Padilla, Ben Marshall and Sarah Sherman.
Chloe Fineman is leaving “SNL” after seven seasons, and Bowen Yang will also be absent from Season 52 after departing midway through Season 51.
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