Saturday night live It began its 52nd season with NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson as its first host, and had its starting lineup there to support it.
Brunson began his monologue by joking that his time winning the 2026 NBA championship this year with the New York Knicks may reflect his stint as host.
«Tonight I’m going to approach the performance the same way I approach the Knicks finals game; so the first three quarters of the show will be terrible. The last sketch will be incredible,» he said. «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 do it.»
He also joked about being back at Madison Square Garden for the upcoming NBA season, where Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce tied the knot this summer.
«The new season is just a couple weeks away, and I have to say it’s going to be great to be back at Madison Square Garden. Looking around like, wow, just a few months ago, this was the exact place where Taylor and Travis got married,» he said. brunson
The New York Knicks won the NBA championship in June, marking their first victory since 1973. Brunson received the NBA Finals MVP title after a dynamic season. To support his debut as SNL The host, all five Knicks starters Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, were present.
Brunson said he was going to answer questions from the audience, to which the camera panned to make way for his teammates. Towns began a round of questions, asking: «Can you foul? SNL?” Brunson responded, «No, I don’t think so.»
“Could I be here for the entire show?” Towns were added. Hart asked frankly SNL host: «Is it true that you took a $113 million pay cut just to quit the Knicks?»
Brunson said, «Yeah, that’s pretty true.» Hart asked an additional follow-up question: «Wow. So, that money is still on the line?»
The first cold open of the new season poked fun at New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and President Donald Trump’s bromance. Ramy Youssef played Mamdani, while James Austin Johnson reprized his Trump impersonation.
Mamdani was told he had a guest, to which he responded, «What reckless fool would travel to see me in this kind of weather?»
«Your best friend!» Johnson’s Trump said. «I missed my first day. For some reason no one can understand, I really like you a lot.» Youssef pointed out El Niño’s impact on New York City, telling the faux president, «That’s very kind, but wouldn’t you rather be in DC? We’re in the middle of El Niño.»
«Oh, El Niño, we don’t like big box stores, especially when they’re in Spanish,» Trump said. He went on to talk about his «crazy week»: «I kicked out the press and hung out with China’s President Xi. And yes, I got tan. It’s fall!»
“There was also this AI craze,” he continued. «I just had dinner with Sam Altman, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, and that made me think, wow, RFK Jr. is probably right about those vaccines.» Ashley Padilla also briefly appeared outdoors as Natalie Harp, executive assistant to President Trump.
Toward the end of the cold open, Youssef’s Mamdani continued to insist that he needed to get back to work. «Please let me stay here with you,» Johnson’s Trump said. “Okay, only if they give us $21 billion for a housing project in Queens,” Mamdani said.
«You’re crazy?» Trump said, to which Mamdani offered: «What if I followed you on Instagram?»
«It’s a done deal,» Johnson’s Trump concluded.
Jeremy Culhane reprized his Tucker Carlson impersonation during the Weekend Update segment, where he gave his thoughts on this summer’s blockbusters. Of ObsessionHe joked: «The left’s idea of a horror movie; that a woman is forced to love a man. ‘Oh no, help! I’m haunted by a heterosexual relationship!'»
For Spider-Man: New DayCulhane’s Carlson said, «Everyone loves Spider-Man: Brand New Gender.» Colin Jost said, «It’s not his name,» while Culhane’s Carlson continued, «Spider-They, Spider-Them, he uses whatever bathroom he wants.»
He also raised Minions and monstersstating that «I wasn’t talking about the children’s movie, I’m talking about Trump’s cabinet. That’s right, I’ve turned against Trump, I’m very brave.»
The New York Knicks star and Katseye were the new season’s first hosting and musical guest couple, and they also made their SNL debuts Next week, Dakota Johnson will host with Turnstile as the musical act.
Shane Gillis will host on October 10 with musical guest Rosalía, while Obsession Star Inde Navarrette does it SNL debut as host in the Halloween episode. She will be joined by Gracie Abrams.
