‘I wouldn’t have missed it;’ Oregon legend Phil Knight shares historic moment with LeBron James
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Unless you happen to be living under a rock or were not tuned into the world of sports on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, then you probably are aware that NBA legend LeBron James made history with the Los Angeles Lakers in the past 24 hours, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, with 38,390 career points.
James broke Abdul-Jabbar’s record on Tuesday night in a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, scoring 38 points, when he needed 36 in order to pass the historical mark of 38.388, which had stood for nearly 39 years.
As you would expect, there was an outcrying of support for LeBron both in the arena and on social media throughout the night. One of the best photos of the night came from Andrew Bernstein, one of the most legendary sports photographers in NBA history. The photo showed the moment that LeBron released the record-breaking shot; in the background is a sea of fans, all with their phones out trying to record history. There was a lone fan sitting on the baseline, taking it all in with his own two eyes, though.
That man was Nike co-founder and Oregon Ducks legend Phil Knight.
the days of flashbulbs, long gone…. pic.twitter.com/RQkCXSDb5e
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) February 8, 2023
This legendary photo will be circulated for decades to come, and it was cool to see Knight get some recognition on Tuesday night, though many commenters had no idea who he was just by appearance.
After the game, Knight and James met up and shared some kind words. Here’s a video of that interaction, along with some of the best reactions to Knight’s historic photo on Tuesday night:
"I wouldn't have missed it"
Nike founder Phil Knight congratulates Lakers’ LeBron James.
LeBron James: “I’m so happy you were here.”
Phil Knight: “I wouldn’t have missed it.” pic.twitter.com/uZRkSOqfKQ— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) February 8, 2023
Living in the Present
Phil Knight is a legend for this one.
No phone. Just living in the moment. pic.twitter.com/EmBEtS0pSY
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) February 8, 2023
Thinking About the Billions Made Together
Nike founder Phil Knight witnessing history by the man he signed 20 years ago…
No phone necessary. pic.twitter.com/ptkFDcBcDt
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) February 8, 2023
Still Witnessing Greatness
Phil Knight telling LeBron’s mom, Gloria that“I started the company 59 years ago, I thought I’d seen it all, but tonight was incredible.” pic.twitter.com/dQEcV6nHym
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) February 8, 2023
Who is "This Guy?
Something about Phil Knight being referred to as “this guy” is hilarious to me 😂😂 https://t.co/YAtqdqdLHs
— Kevin Wade (@KwadeSays) February 8, 2023
Just Vibes
Phil Knight was locked in on LeBron's record-breaking bucket 😅
(h/t @garystriewski) pic.twitter.com/FYsGTUg91M
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 8, 2023
A Gift from Phil
LeBron x Phil Knight pic.twitter.com/2nAsRd5roH
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) February 8, 2023
A Cool Anecdote from Rovell
A while back, LeBron bought Phil Knight a 1972 Rolex (the year Nike started making shoes).
On the back, he had etched: “With thanks for taking a chance on me." https://t.co/CGbA42La2d
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) February 8, 2023
