Bob Knight, a Hall of Famer whose career included several on-court outbursts and three national crowns at Indiana (one of which capped an unbeaten season never since equaled), has passed away. It was his eighty-third birthday.
The news was revealed on Wednesday night by Knight’s family. He had been unwell for a number of years before being admitted to the hospital in April due to an illness.
“It is with heavy hearts that we share that Coach Bob Knight passed away at his home in Bloomington surrounded by his family,” stated the statement. “We are grateful for all the thoughts and prayers, and appreciate the continued respect for our privacy as Coach requested a private family gathering, which is being honored.”
In 1965, Knight broke in at Army at the age of 24, becoming the youngest coach at a Division I university. At Indiana, however, he left his imprint, setting a school record with 661 victories and 24 trips to the NCAA tournament over 29 seasons. Indiana’s unbeaten season in 1976 brought Knight his first NCAA title—a feat no other team has since duplicated.

In a statement, Indiana University board of trustees chair Quinn Buckner stated, “One of the things that he said to our 1976 team, which I was fortunate enough to be a part of, was that you may never see another team like this again.” “Well, I don’t know that we will ever see another coach like him again.”
Knight finished with a career record of 902-371 after winning 20 games or more 29 times in a season.
Bob Knight was the coach of the last American amateur team to win an Olympic gold medal in 1984 when they competed in Los Angeles. It was not unexpected that it was met with opposition. Knight removed players like future Hall of Famers Charles Barkley and John Stockton, but he maintained Steve Alford, the captain of his 1987 team that won its last national title.
Mike Woodson, the current coach of Indiana and a former Hoosier, stated in a statement, “I am so blessed that he saw something in me as a basketball player.” “I will never be able to repay the ways he impacted my life. He constantly pushed me to be the best version of myself—a player and, more importantly, a person—as he did with all of his players. His track record as a basketball coach is unquestionable. He is going to go down as one of the best of all time.”
After being dubbed “The General,” Bob Knight was ultimately expelled from Indiana University in 2000 for allegedly grasping the arm of a freshman who had addressed him by last name in violation of a “zero tolerance” conduct guideline. It was the last in a lengthy series of offenses that includes his most well-known moment—throwing a chair during a Purdue game—and claims of other violent altercations. The most famous one occurred in 1997 when Knight seemed to choke player Neil Reed during a drill.
Six months after being sacked by Indiana for a “pattern of unacceptable behavior,” Knight subsequently moved on to take a job as the basketball coach at Texas Tech in 2001.
Knight guided the Red Raiders to five 20-win seasons during his six years at Texas Tech, a first for the program. On January 1, 2007, Knight achieved career victory No. 880, surpassing former North Carolina coach Dean Smith as the most successful Division I men’s coach at the time. Knight selected the Frank Sinatra song “My Way” to commemorate the milestone, which served as a motto for him as he balanced his personal and professional lives.
Bob Knight elucidated the significance of “My Way” at the time.
Knight said, “I’ve just tried to do what I think is best.” “Apologies? Yes. similar to the tune. I feel guilty. There are instances when I wish I could have performed better. At times, I wish I had a better response or approach. However, as he said, I handled things my way, and looking back, I don’t believe it was all that horrible.”
In the midst of his 42nd season as head coach, Knight stepped down from his position as Texas Tech’s basketball coach and left the collegiate ranks.Texas Tech Athletics released a statement saying, “Coach Knight… will forever be remembered as one of the top coaches in not only Texas Tech history but all of college basketball.” “With his motion offense and his insistence that his teams be defined by their defense, he really altered the nature of the game.”
Bob Knight His influence extended beyond the court, as he was a strong advocate for student-athletes to get a top-notch education, as seen by his teams’ yearly near-perfect graduation record. We will always respect Coach Knight’s influence on our basketball program as one of the best in our program’s history.”
Bob Knight became a legend as a result of his actions and methods. But what set him apart was the discipline and impact he brought to teaching.
“Today we lost one of the best basketball coaches in history. He was undoubtedly unique, according to former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, who succeeded his mentor as the most successful Division I college basketball coach in 2011 after playing for Knight at Army. Coach Knight helped me get a job, guided me, and had a significant influence on both my life and career. His demise has left our sport with a great loss, and our family is very sorry.”
Robert Montgomery Knight was a standout football, baseball, and basketball player in prep school at Orrville High School. He was born in Orrville, Ohio, on October 25, 1940. During his playing career at Ohio State, his teams had a 78-6 record overall. Knight averaged 3.7 points as a substitute and went 0-for-1 with one personal foul in the Buckeyes’ 75-55 victory against California in the 1960 national championship game. The Buckeyes also won the Big Ten in each of Knight’s three seasons.
Following graduation, he entered coaching; after taking over as head coach from Tates Locke, Bob Knight an Army assistant.Knight has a 102–50 record as an Army coach from 1965 to 1971. After that, he relocated to Indiana, where he helped the Hoosiers win 662-239 games between 1971 and 2000. There, in 1976, 1981, and 1987, he won national championships while sporting his signature red sweater.
Over the course of five decades, Knight faced up against and typically defeated some of the most illustrious figures in the sport, including Adolph Rupp, Smith, and John Wooden in the early going and Krzyzewski, Rick Pitino, and Roy Williams in the latter years.
Coach Tom Izzo of Michigan State said, “He was a guy I idolized when I got here [in 1983] because Bobby Knight was the man.” “He assisted me and gave me excellent treatment. I wish more people were aware of his wonderful heart. He was a strange guy, yet he would answer the bell if you needed assistance.“The game has lost an icon.”
Speaking to media before to his team’s game on Wednesday night, Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr recounted his first meeting with the explosive coach.
“In 1986, as I was competing in the world championship, we crossed paths. Kerr said, “He was providing commentary on television.” “He came to our practice after we had lost a game, grabbed me aside, and essentially went on a rant. He was someone I had never met before. He added, ‘I want you to take those bleeping bleep colleagues of yours and tell them to bleep bleep.’ “Yes, sir, Coach Knight,” I said. Afterward, I approached the guys and said, “Hey, Coach Knight just gave us some encouragement to play well tonight.” That ended it. He was rather scary, I won’t lie.”
In 1991, Bob Knight was chosen and admitted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Knight had previously requested not to be considered for the Hall of Fame again, referring to the voters’ 1987 rejection of him as a “slap in the face.”
Most Wins By Head Coach*
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He was a complicated guy with a long history of angry outbursts. He was charged with assault and eventually found guilty for assaulting a police officer in Puerto Rico. He also reportedly kicked his own kid and headbutted Indiana player Sherron Wilkerson while yelling at him from the bench. (Knight said that he had kicked his son’s chair.)
During a 1992 NCAA West Regional practice, he also mock-whipped Black Indiana player Calbert Cheaney, which infuriated a number of Black leaders. Knight said that the bullwhip was provided to him by the team and refuted any racist overtones.
Knight, however, has never disregarded NCAA regulations. His graduation percentage has always been good. A few years after moving to Lubbock, he also returned his Texas Tech pay, saying he had not earned it.The removal of Knight by Indiana president Myles Brand, who was at the time still quite popular in the state, did not sit well with Knight’s followers.
Officials at Indiana University made many attempts to patch things up with Knight over the years, but he adamantly rejected their efforts and refused to take part in any IU-sponsored events.He avoided class reunions and even turned down an invitation to the school’s 2009 sports Hall of Fame induction, claiming his presence would have been a distraction to his fellow alumni.But all of that has altered recently.
When he made an unexpected appearance at an Indiana baseball game in 2019, the thaw officially started. He purchased a home in Bloomington in July, three miles from the basketball arena.And he did make it back to Assembly Hall for an Indiana vs. Purdue game in February 2020. There was thunderous applause for him from the full house, which included many former players.Knight and his son Pat entered. Knight gave Isiah Thomas a hug. Buckner helped him into the arena. Knight was ecstatic with the situation, raising his fist in the air, directing Scott May in a mock drill, and even rallying supporters with the cry “De-fense, de-fense.”
During the reunion, former player Randy Wittman played a significant role. “I was standing there, and he was Coach Knight,” Wittman recounted. It seemed as if he hadn’t left the changing area. It was amazing what he said to the guys before they on the court.”