Villanova Knicks Appear on Saturday Night Live as Jalen Brunson Hosts

Villanova product Jalen Brunson hosted Saturday Night Live as part of the Season 52 premiere on Sept. 26, celebrating his NBA Championship run with the New York Knicks. Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges, Brunson’s teammates with both teams, appeared during the opening monologue and referenced New York’s championship run.

As the host, Brunson also participated in a series of comedic segments, including basketball-focused ones like a High School Musical parody and another where he goes undercover in an office setting in a bid to live the life of a regular person.

Brunson won the 2016 and 2018 national championships with Villanova, earning a bevy of national player of the year honors during the latter season. He won the NBA Finals MVP award with the Knicks this past season, averaging 32.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.0 steals per game during their playoff run.

The Knicks’ preseason slate will begin in Philadelphia this season, when they face LeBron James and the 76ers at 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 5.