Phil Knight, the co-founder and chairmain of sports apparel giant Nike, will be enshrined at the Basketball Hall of Fame. Knight, who founded Nike in 1972, has seen his company grow because of partnerships made with players such as Michael Jordan.
Nike’s Phil Knight To Be Enshrined At Basketball Hall Of Fame
Knight graduated from Oregon in 1959. He co-founded Nike with his former track coach Bill Bowerman. Knight was able to grow Nike along with the NBA in the 1980s. He signed Jordan to a sponsorship deal in 1984 and his commercials with director Spike Lee as Mars Blackmon was a large part in the growth of Nike.
Today, hundreds of NBA players are sponsored by Nike such as LeBron James of the Miami Heat, Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Lakers. Knight, along with 11 others, will be enshrined at the Basketball Hall of Fame Friday night.
For discussion on Knight’s enshrinement in the Basketball Hall of Fame, head over to Addicted to Quack. Hit up the SB Nation NBA hub for more comprehensive pro basketball coverage.
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