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Phil Knight: Age, Height, Net Worth, Wife, Family Personal Life
Phil Knight’s story is one of the most remarkable journeys in modern business, beginning with a former University of Oregon runner and a simple idea about better athletic shoes. Together with Bill Bowerman, Knight built Blue Ribbon Sports into Nike, eventually creating one of the world’s most influential sports brands. At 88 years old in 2026, Knight remains a billionaire and Nike Chairman Emeritus. Forbes currently estimates his and his family’s fortune at approximately $25.7 billion, while his legacy continues through Nike, philanthropy, education and family.
Phil Knight Quick Bio
| Profile Information | Phil Knight |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Philip Hampson Knight |
| Date of Birth | February 24, 1938 |
| Net Worth | Approximately $25.7 billion — Forbes real-time estimate as of September 9, 2026; wealth is primarily associated with Nike and family holdings. |
| Height | Around 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) — commonly reported estimate |
| Age | 88 years old (2026) |
| Birthplace | Portland, Oregon, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Nickname | “Buck” — a nickname used by friends and referenced in Nike’s historical archives. |
| Parents | William W. Knight and Lota Hatfield Knight |
| Siblings | Family information is relatively private and sibling details are not extensively documented |
| Profession | Entrepreneur, businessman, philanthropist and author |
| Famous For | Co-founding Nike and transforming Blue Ribbon Sports into a global athletic brand |
| Business Partner | Bill Bowerman, his former University of Oregon track coach |
| Company Founded | Blue Ribbon Sports, established with Bowerman in 1964 |
| Nike Connection | Co-founder and Chairman Emeritus of Nike |
| Career | Built Nike from a small shoe-distribution business into a global sportswear company |
| Education | University of Oregon — bachelor’s degree in business administration; Stanford Graduate School of Business — MBA |
| Early Career | Certified public accountant and later assistant professor of business administration at Portland State University |
| Years at Nike | More than five decades of involvement before retiring as chairman in 2016 |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Penelope “Penny” Knight |
| Children | 3 children |
| Family | Wife Penny Knight and three children; son Matthew Knight died in 2004 |
| Hair Color | Gray/white with age |
| Eye Color | Commonly reported as brown, although this is not a major biographical source detail |
| Weight | No consistently verified current public figure; online figures should be treated as estimates |
| Hobbies & Interests | Running, sports, athletics, business, philanthropy and education |
| Athletic Background | Former University of Oregon track athlete under coach Bill Bowerman |
| First Major Business Move | Began selling Japanese running shoes in the United States |
| Business Beginning | Knight and Bowerman each invested $500 to start Blue Ribbon Sports in 1964 |
| Original Company | Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS) |
| Nike Name | The Nike brand emerged from Blue Ribbon Sports in the early 1970s |
| Nike Swoosh | Designed by Carolyn Davidson; Knight famously paid $35 for the original design |
| First Selling Method | Knight sold running shoes directly to athletes, including from the trunk of his car |
| Nike Leadership | Served as Nike president for extended periods and later became chairman |
| Retirement | Retired as Nike chairman in 2016 after 52 years with the company |
| Current Nike Position | Chairman Emeritus |
| Nike Headquarters Legacy | Nike’s World Headquarters was renamed the Philip H. Knight Campus in his honor in 2025, with the formal marking held in 2026 |
| Book | Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of NIKE |
| Business Philosophy | Athlete-focused innovation, competition, design and strong brand storytelling |
| Major Achievement | Turning a small shoe business into Nike, one of the world’s leading sportswear companies |
| Philanthropy | Major donations to education, healthcare, cancer research, athletics and community development |
| Charitable Giving | Forbes reports that Phil and Penny Knight have given approximately $4.5 billion to charity |
| University Support | Major philanthropic support for the University of Oregon and Stanford University |
| Healthcare Giving | The Knights pledged $2 billion to Oregon Health & Science University’s Knight Cancer Institute in 2025 |
| Residence | Hillsboro, Oregon, according to Forbes |
| Citizenship | United States |
| No widely verified official personal Instagram account | |
| Social Media Presence | Maintains a comparatively private public profile |
| Source of Wealth | Nike ownership, investments and business holdings |
| Self-Made Status | Self-made entrepreneur; Forbes gives him a self-made score of 8 |
| Legacy | Nike co-founder, global sportswear pioneer, major philanthropist and influential Oregon businessman |
| Overall Impact | Helped change athletic footwear from a specialized product into a global sports, fashion and cultural industry |
Phil Knight Images
A Timeline Phil Knight Public Career
| Year | Major Event |
|---|---|
| 1938 | February 24: Phil Knight was born in Portland, Oregon. |
| 1959 | Graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in business administration. |
| 1962 | Completed his MBA at Stanford Graduate School of Business. |
| 1964 | Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman each invested $500 to establish Blue Ribbon Sports, the company that later became Nike. |
| 1964–1967 | Knight worked to expand the running-shoe business while developing relationships with athletes and retailers. |
| 1968 | Knight became president of Blue Ribbon Sports. Nike’s official biography notes that he served as Nike president from 1968–1990 and again from 2000–2004. |
| 1971 | The Nike brand emerged, beginning the transition from Blue Ribbon Sports to the company known globally as Nike. |
| 1970s | Nike expanded its footwear business and increasingly focused on athletes, performance and innovative shoe design. |
| 1980 | Nike went public, marking a major milestone in the company’s growth. |
| 1990s | Nike became one of the world’s leading athletic footwear and apparel companies. |
| 2004 | Knight stepped down from his long-running CEO role. |
| 2006 | Knight returned to Nike leadership as chairman. |
| 2015 | He announced plans to step down as Nike chairman. |
| 2016 | Officially retired as Nike chairman after 52 years with the company and continued as Chairman Emeritus. |
| 2016 | Published his bestselling memoir Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of NIKE. |
| 2023 | Phil and Penny Knight pledged $400 million toward helping rebuild Portland’s Albina neighborhood. |
| 2025 | The Knights pledged $2 billion to Oregon Health & Science University’s Knight Cancer Institute. |
| 2026 | At 88, Knight remains Nike’s Chairman Emeritus and one of America’s wealthiest entrepreneurs. |
Phil Knight Family
| Family Member | Relationship | Information |
|---|---|---|
| William W. Knight | Father | Phil Knight’s father; worked as a lawyer and newspaper publisher. |
| Lota Hatfield Knight | Mother | Phil Knight’s mother. |
| Penelope “Penny” Knight | Wife | Phil Knight’s wife; the couple has been married since 1968. |
| Matthew Knight | Son | Phil and Penny’s son; died in 2004 in a scuba-diving accident. |
| Travis Knight | Son | Filmmaker, entrepreneur and animation executive, known for his work with Laika. |
| Christina Knight | Daughter | Phil and Penny Knight’s daughter. |
| Knight Family | Family | Forbes lists Knight as married with three children and notes that he and Penny have given billions to philanthropic causes. |
Phil Knight Car Collection
| Car | Estimated Value | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Audi R8 | $150,000–$200,000 | Knight has been reported driving a black Audi R8 with contrasting silver accents around Nike’s Oregon headquarters. |
| 1963 Plymouth Valiant Station Wagon | $5,000–$15,000+ | One of the most interesting vehicles associated with Knight’s early career. He used his Plymouth to carry and sell running shoes when building Blue Ribbon Sports. |
| Nike-branded Lamborghini | $250,000+ estimated | A Lamborghini carrying Nike branding has been reported as part of Knight’s vehicle collection. The exact model and ownership value are not consistently documented. |
| Mercedes-Maybach | $200,000–$300,000+ estimated | Luxury Mercedes-Maybach vehicles have been reported among the cars associated with Knight’s private hangar. Exact model details are limited. |
| Rolls-Royce | $300,000+ estimated | Rolls-Royce vehicles have also been reported alongside his other luxury cars, although specific model and ownership details are limited. |
Phil Knight Private Jet Collection
| Aircraft | Estimated Value | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Gulfstream G650 | Around $65 million | Knight is reported to own a Gulfstream G650, one of the world’s most capable long-range private business jets. |
| Nike G650 “Rare Air” | $60M+ estimated | A Nike-associated Gulfstream G650 known as “Rare Air” has been reported among the aircraft connected with Nike’s aviation operation. |
| Nike G650 “Nike Air Force” | $60M+ estimated | Another Gulfstream G650, identified as N72NC, has been reported in connection with Nike’s aircraft fleet. |
| Gulfstream GV | $20M–$30M+ estimated | A Gulfstream GV, identified in reports as N3546, has also been associated with Nike’s aircraft fleet. |
Phil Knight Private Hangar
| Asset | Estimated Value | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Private Aircraft Hangar | $7.6 million | Knight reportedly built a large private hangar at Hillsboro Airport, Oregon, specifically to house his aircraft. Reports put the facility at about 29,000 square feet. |
Phil Knight Property Collection
| Property / Asset | Estimated Value | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Hillsboro, Oregon Residence | Multi-million-dollar estimated value | Knight lives in the rural area outside Hillsboro, Oregon, close to Nike’s headquarters. Public reporting describes the area as his long-term home base. |
| La Quinta, California Home | $4M+ reported purchase range | Knight and Penny have owned a home in La Quinta, California. Previous reporting has linked the couple to properties in the area’s exclusive golf communities. |
| Oregon Ranch / Land Holdings | Value not consistently reported | Knight has been associated with significant Oregon land holdings and rural property, reflecting his preference for privacy and open space. |
| Hillsboro Aviation Facility | $7.6M | His private aircraft hangar is one of his most clearly reported luxury assets. |
Phil Knight Luxury & Personal Collections
| Collection | Estimated Value | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Private Aircraft | $100M+ combined estimated | His reported Gulfstream aircraft represent the most valuable part of his transportation collection. |
| Luxury Cars | $1M+ estimated | Reported vehicles include an Audi R8, Lamborghini, Mercedes-Maybach and Rolls-Royce. |
| Nike Memorabilia | High historical value | As Nike’s co-founder, Knight has an extraordinary connection to early Nike products, prototypes and company history, although a complete private inventory is not publicly documented. |
| Sports Memorabilia | Value varies | Knight’s lifelong connection with Oregon athletics and Nike gives him access to significant sports-related memorabilia, but individual private holdings are not comprehensively documented. |
| Art & Collectibles | Private / undisclosed | Knight keeps much of his personal collecting activity private, so specific high-value art holdings should not be stated as confirmed without stronger documentation. |
Phil Knight’s Most Valuable Reported Assets
| Rank | Asset | Estimated Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gulfstream G650 | ~$65 million |
| 2 | Additional Gulfstream G650 aircraft | $60M+ each estimated |
| 3 | Private aircraft hangar | $7.6 million |
| 4 | Luxury property portfolio | Multi-million dollars |
| 5 | Luxury & Nike-branded vehicles | $1M+ estimated collectively |