A New York couple has taken Knicks fandom to the birth certificate. Yvonne Gonzalez-Bradford and Vance Bradford of Long Island City named their newborn son Knickson Fyve Bradford — after the chant that swept New York City when the Knicks ended their 53-year title drought by beating the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the 2026 NBA Finals.
Knickson Fyve Bradford, named after the Knicks’ historic NBA championship (Credits: TODAY.com)
The name was born the night the Knicks clinched the title. The Bradfords opened the windows of their high-rise apartment and heard elated revelers chanting “Knicks in five!” — and that was it. “What if we give our son a name for a champion? What about Knickson?” Vance asked his seven-months-pregnant wife the next day. Two days later, Yvonne suggested Fyve as the middle name.
They had already picked names — Prestige Wisdom for a boy, Lady Victoria for a girl — but the Knicks’ first championship since 1973 changed everything. “You know how when something happens so well in your favor, you don’t want to jinx it?” Vance told TODAY.com. “I was just like, ‘Yep! Absolutely. That’s it!'”
Knickson Fyve’s Knicks coincidences
The coincidences piled up fast. Knickson was born August 8 — his mother Yvonne’s birthday — weighing exactly 8 pounds, 8 ounces, a nod to Knicks forward OG Anunoby, who wears No. 8 and whose last-second tip-in helped complete a 29-point Game 4 comeback in the Finals. And there’s family history: Vance’s late mother, Sydell Johnson, was the Knicks’ scorekeeper during their 1973 championship season.
As for the spelling, Vance had a theory ready: “The Roman numeral for five is ‘V,’ like my name, so he’s named after me in a way. Five is also an indivisible number. So he’s our indivisible champion.”
He’s not the only Knicks-inspired baby
Data from the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene shows 27 babies have been named Jalen in New York City since the Knicks’ title win — likely in tribute to Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, versus just 15 Jalens born between March and October 2025. “Knickson Fyve is definitely our motto,” Vance said. “Knickson Fyve forever!”
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Source: ESPN — read the full story there.
