Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns Jokes About NBA Finals Fouls on SNL
When Jalen Brunson’s New York Knicks teammates interrupted his Saturday Night Live season 52 premiere monologue, there were a ton of NBA Finals jokes to share.
“This evening, I plan to host [SNL] just like I approached the Knicks’ Finals matches,” Brunson, 30, promised on stage at Studio 8H on Saturday, September 26. “The first three quarters of the show are going to be terrible, but the final sketch will be fantastic.”
Brunson was soon interrupted by Knicks teammates Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart, who began asking questions from the audience.
Brunson joked about Towns’ tendency to almost foul out during the NBA Finals in June, reminding him that you cannot “foul out of SNL.”
“So I could be here for the entire show? Awesome,” Towns exclaimed.
Anunoby, 29, asked Brunson about “Game 4, when you took that shot at the end and missed?”
“Yeah, you tipped it in,” Brunson responded, and Anunoby added, “Oh yeah, that was great.”
Hart, 31, was primarily concerned about reports stating that Brunson took a $113 million pay cut in the summer of 2024 to remain with the Knicks.
When Brunson confirmed that amount was accurate, Hart inquired, “Wow. So, is that money still available?”
Hart also provided an explanation for the viral clip of him poking Brunson in the butt during their celebration of winning the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs in June.
“I did it because it was funny,” Hart joked.
Jalen Brunson on “Saturday Night Live.” Courtesy YouTube/NBC
Earlier in the monologue, Brunson mentioned another pop culture event that took place at Madison Square Garden over the summer.
“The new [NBA] season is just weeks away, and I have to say it’s going to be pretty exciting to be back at Madison Square Garden,” he remarked. “Looking around like, ‘Wow, just a few months ago this was the same spot where Taylor [Swift] and Travis [Kelce] got married!’”
Before making his SNL hosting debut, Brunson confessed on Tamron Hall on Monday, September 21, that he was “probably not” ready for his sketch comedy debut.
“I’m being honest: I have no idea what I’m stepping into, but I know it’s going to be fantastic,” he stated.
The athlete dismissed the idea of singing on SNL, while leaving a little room for a possible dance number.
“I’m not saying no to that. Maybe,” he teased.
Brunson has joined the ranks of NBA legends who have hosted SNL throughout the show’s 52-year history, including Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Charles Barkley.
Saturday Night Live continues on NBC Saturday, October 3, at 11:30 p.m. ET with host Dakota Johnson and musical guests Turnstile. New episodes can be streamed Sundays via Peacock.
