NEW YORK — A 23-year-old New York Knicks fan gained attention on social media after a prediction he wrote in his high school yearbook six years ago appeared to align with the team’s run to the 2026 NBA Finals.
Evan Pfeufer, a resident of Long Island, wrote “Knicks in 6. 2026 NBA Finals” beneath his portrait in the 2020 yearbook of Smithtown High School West.
Photos of the yearbook entry circulated online in recent days after Pfeufer shared them on social media. One Instagram post received more than 130,000 views.
The prediction resurfaced as the Knicks held a 2-1 lead over the San Antonio Spurs in the best-of-seven NBA Finals series.
Pfeufer said he came up with the prediction while talking with a friend and decided to use it as his yearbook quote instead of listing his accomplishments.
“I was at my good buddy’s house, and I said, ‘Knicks, six, 2026,’” Pfeufer said.
He said he chose the phrase because of its rhyme and believed it would stand out if the prediction eventually came true.
Pfeufer said some people questioned his decision at the time, including his parents. He said he was a member of the honor society but chose not to include his academic achievements in the yearbook entry.
“I kept it just as the quote because I thought that if it happened, it would look way better than if I had a bunch of awards underneath,” he said.
According to Pfeufer, his parents later acknowledged his decision after the prediction gained attention online.
A longtime Knicks supporter, Pfeufer said he stopped watching some playoff games earlier in the postseason because he believed the team lost whenever he watched. Since the Knicks advanced to the NBA Finals, he has watched games at home with his family.
Pfeufer said he believes the current Knicks team has the ability to win the franchise’s first NBA championship since 1973.
The Knicks entered the series against the Spurs seeking their first NBA title in more than five decades.