Who is Avery Wilson? Meet Knicks' national anthem singer who has become team's 'good luck charm' in playoffs

Just about everything possible has been credited with fueling the Knicks' improbable win streak, including Karl-Anthony Towns' "The Devil Wears Prada 2" cameo. To some, the national anthem is at the heart of New York's playoff success.

The Knicks don't traditionally bring back the same national anthem singer every night, instead choosing to rotate through singers, but they have kept coming back to former "The Voice" contestant Avery Wilson throughout the playoffs.

New York is 6-0 when Wilson sings the national anthem, and their only home loss in the playoffs happened to come when a scheduling conflict prevented him from performing before a game against the Hawks.

Here's what you need to know about Wilson and why he might be the Knicks' good luck charm.

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Who is Avery Wilson?

Wilson, a contestant on "The Voice" seasons three and eight, is an R&B singer and actor on Broadway. He played Scarecrow in "The Wiz" on Broadway, earning a Grammy nomination for the performance.

After he was asked to perform the national anthem before the Knicks' playoff opener in April, Wilson left an impression on MSG Sports chief operating officer Jamaal Lesane and earned an invitation back.

"He closed his eyes and felt emotional hearing me sing," Wilson told the New York Daily News.

The Connecticut-born singer wasn't able to return for Game 2 due to a scheduling conflict, but he did make it back for Game 5 as well as each of the Knicks' home games against the 76ers and Cavaliers. New York is 6-0 when he performs the anthem. 

"They refer to me as a good-luck charm," Wilson told the Daily News.

While all of the celebrities will be out for the Knicks' NBA Finals games at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks don't see any need to go bigger than what's worked so far, putting Wilson squarely in the spotlight as millions watch at home.

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What does Avery Wilson sing?

Wilson appeared on the Billboard Hot R&B chart with his 2015 single "If I Have To" and appeared on the charts again in 2024 with single "Kiss The Sky."

Avery Wilson Broadway plays

Wilson moved into acting in 2024, when he was cast as Scarecrow in "The Wiz" on Broadway. 

Before he earned the role, a Broadway career hadn't been on Wilson's radar for long.

"I don't know all of the history of Broadway and all the shows, but I did frequent a couple shows a little while ago, maybe two or three years ago, and I was like, 'I want to do that,' Wilson told People Magazine in 2024.

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Is Avery Wilson a Knicks fan?

It isn't clear whether Wilson is a Knicks fan, but he is from nearby Connecticut and has talked excitedly about the team's success in games when he performs the national anthem.

If Wilson wasn't a Knicks fan before, he might not have a choice now with the way he has become such a staple of New York's historic playoff run.