OPINION OF COUNSEL
Published on
EXHIBIT 5.1
July 1, 2004
Board of Directors
NIKE, Inc.
One Bowerman Drive
Beaverton, Oregon 97005-6453
I have acted as counsel for NIKE, Inc. (the "Company") in
connection with the filing of a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the
"Registration Statement") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
covering 12,500,000 shares of Class B Common Stock, no par value (the
"Shares"), of the Company issuable in connection with the Company's 1990
Stock Incentive Plan (the "Plan"). I have reviewed the corporate
actions of the Company in connection with this matter and have examined
those documents, corporate records, and other instruments I deemed
necessary for the purposes of this opinion.
Based on the foregoing, it is my opinion that:
1. The Company is a corporation duly organized and validly
existing under the laws of the state of Oregon; and
2. The Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued
pursuant to the Plan and in accordance with the resolutions adopted by
the Board of Directors of the Company, will be legally issued, fully
paid and nonassessable.
I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement.
Very truly yours,
/s/ John F. Coburn III
John F. Coburn III
Assistant General Counsel