When the New York Knicks won their first NBA championship in 53 years this summer, defeating the San Antonio Spurs in five games, the celebration in New York City was citywide. For one family, it went further than banners and parades — it shaped the name of their newborn son.
Yvonne Gonzalez-Bradford and her husband Vance were expecting their first child during the Knicks’ championship run. By the time the team closed out the Finals, the couple had settled on a name: Knickson Fyve Bradford.
The Bradfords had originally picked out other names — Prestige Wisdom for a boy, Lady Victoria for a girl — before the Knicks’ title run changed their plans. Vance told TODAY.com the decision came quickly once the team’s momentum became undeniable.
“You know how when something happens so well in your favor, you don’t want to jinx it?” Vance said. “I was just like, ‘Yep! Absolutely. That’s it!'”
The middle name, Fyve, nods to the “Knicks in Five” slogan fans adopted after New York dispatched San Antonio in five games. Knickson was born August 8, weighing eight pounds, eight ounces — on his mother Yvonne’s birthday.
“We wanted to have a very strong and firm name that would lead to a cool life,” Vance told TODAY.com. “Knickson Fyve is definitely our motto, Knickson Fyve forever!”
The family’s connection to the Knicks runs deeper than this year’s title. Vance’s mother served as a scorekeeper for the 1972-73 Knicks, the last team to win the championship before this year’s squad, led by Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, ended the drought.
The Knicks raised their championship banner at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night ahead of their 2026-27 season opener against LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers. Brunson addressed the sold-out, emotional crowd before tipoff, thanking fans for their support throughout the playoff run.
Knickson, for his part, already has no say in the matter — his name ties him to the franchise for life.
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