Grammy-nominated singer and actor Avery Wilson delivered the Star-Spangled Banner again at Madison Square Garden before Game 4 of the Knicks-Spurs NBA Finals showdown, sparking widespread praise and keeping his perfect Knicks record alive.
Avery Wilson walked on at Madison Square Garden with the NBA Finals on the line—and the reaction from the stands made it feel like more than another pregame ritual.
Ahead of Wednesday’s crucial Knicks-Spurs Game 4, Wilson was invited back to perform the Star-Spangled Banner. Viewers flooded social media afterward with praise for his rendition. calling it “beautiful.” One X user wrote: “That was beautiful Avery Wilson.” Another added: “Once again. Avery Wilson cooked that anthem!” A third went further. saying: “That national anthem by Avery Wilson was the best I’ve ever heard.”.
There was also the kind of chatter that usually follows a big moment rather than a routine performance. One post said Wilson “absolutely KILLED the National Anthem during the NBA Finals,” pointing to vocals, control, and stage presence. Another user asked a question that’s already taken on a life of its own online: “Is this the first time a singer has performed the National Anthem in back to back NBA Finals games?”.
For Knicks fans, the timing hits harder because Wilson has quickly become part of the team’s story this postseason. He’s a Grammy-nominated singer and actor. and he has been treated as the Knicks’ “good-luck charm” during their historic run to the NBA Finals this season. His run is built around one simple stat: the Knicks are perfect 6-0 in the playoffs when he performs the national anthem.
The one time Wilson missed at Madison Square Garden ended in defeat against the Spurs on Monday night. That detail has only sharpened the excitement ahead of Game 4, with many fans reading the return as an omen. With Wilson back on stage again Wednesday. New York goes into the moment with momentum tied—at least emotionally—to something as old as game-day tradition.
Wilson himself has leaned into the idea. “They refer to me as a good-luck charm,” he told the Daily News. “People were like, ‘We need you,’” he added. He described how the encouragement has come not just from fans. but from staff backstage: “Especially some of the staff backstage that I deal with all the time. they’re like. ‘Every time. Every time.’ And I’m like, ‘You might be on to something.’”.
The Knicks typically rotate artists for their pregame performances. but Wilson was brought back after the team appeared to benefit from his presence. His sensational run began with New York’s first-round opener against the Atlanta Hawks on April 18. If the Knicks get past San Antonio on Wednesday and the series stretches. Wilson could be invited to return for a third NBA Finals performance—potentially in Game 6 if the matchup reaches that point.
For now, what’s clear is that Wilson’s anthem has become its own storyline in the lead-up to this Game 4: not because it changed the lineup, but because it arrived right at the moment the Knicks need everything—routine, rhythm, and belief—to land.
Avery Wilson Knicks Spurs NBA Finals Game 4 Star-Spangled Banner Madison Square Garden good-luck charm April 18 Atlanta Hawks