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Jalen Brunson is expanding his celebrity profile, as he manages to grows his roots in pop-culture space.
The NBA Finals MVP served as the first host for the Season 52 of Saturday Night Live Season 52, and he was joined by his teammates in a surprise move.
During his monologue, Brunson drew comparison between his time winning the 2026 NBA championship to his new hosting gig, teasing, "Tonight I'm gonna approach hosting in the same way I approach the Knicks finals game; so the first three quarters of the show are gonna be god awful. The last sketch is gonna be amazing."
"This summer, I helped the Knicks win the NBA championship. By now, you've all heard me talk about it, but you haven't heard me sing about it… And obviously I'm not going to," he joked.
New York Knicks' historic NBA title
The New York Knicks won the NBA championship in June, marking their first win since 1973.
Following the spectacular season, Brunson was awarded with the title of NBA Finals MVP.
Knicks' squad at the 'SNL'
To support his debut as an SNL host, the Knicks' starting five, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, were all in attendance.
Jalen Brunson's special connection to NYC
Jalen Brunson has strong ties with New York and the Knicks, with his father, Rick Brunson, being a key player for the team in the late 1990s and later returning to the franchise as an assistant coach under Tom Thibodeau.
Jalen Brunson gifts fans popular cookies amid 'SNL' appearance
Brunson also shares a close bond with his fans, who have been hailing him as the "King of New York" since the historic NBA win.
Amid his SNL appearance, the 30-year-old surprised over 100 fans camping out in hopes of seeing him with famous NYC cookies.
Jalen Brunson's prominent endorsements
The Knicks star has a number of high-profile endorsements in his bag, including Nike, DoorDash, BodyArmor.
Jalen Brunson's runway debut
He made his unexpected runway debut at the Rookie Kids x Macy's Runway on Broadway fashion show in September 2026.
The Knicks captain's daughter, Jordyn, hit the runway in a tiny Knicks jersey, dad's number 11, decorated with feathers, a white bow headband, and a pair of little blue-and-white sneakers.
While she was holding her mum's, Ali Marks, hand during the walk, Jordyn wanted her dad to join in, who gladly hopped up from the crowd to walk with his wife and daughter.
Jalen Brunson's acting debut
Ahead of his official acting debut in Law & Order: SVU, he helped Mariska Hargitay kick off the 2026 Emmys.
The New York Knicks star will guest star on the fifth episode of Law & Order: SVU Season 28, scheduled to air on November 5, 2026.
Notably, Jalen Brunson and KATSEYE were the first host and musical guest pair of the new season, also notably making their SNL debuts.
