Bob Knight, whose Hall of Fame career was decorated with three national titles at Indiana, one capping an undefeated season and countless on-court outbursts, has died at 83. Knight’s family made the announcement. He was hospitalized with an illness in April and had been in poor health for several years.
The statement said, “It is with a heavy heart that we share that Coach Bob Knight passed away at his home in Bloomington surrounded by his family. 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 became the youngest coach at a Division I school when he broke in at Army at 24.
However, he made his mark at Indiana, including winning a school-record 661 games and reaching the NCAA tournament 24 times in 29 seasons. Knight’s first NCAA title came in 1976 when Indiana went undefeated, a feat no team has accomplished since. Indiana University Board of Trustees Chair Quinn Buckner said in a statement, “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 won 20 or more games in a season 29 times, recording a career record of 902-371.
Knight coached the U.S. Olympic team in 1984 to a gold medal in Los Angeles, the last American amateur team to win Olympic gold. And, to no surprise, it came with controversy. He kept Steve Alford, the leader of his last national championship team in 1987, on his squad while cutting future Hall of Famers John Stockton and Charles Barkley. Mike Woodson, former Hoosiers player and Indiana’s current coach said in a statement, “I am so blessed that he saw something in as a basketball player. He influenced my life in ways I could never repay.”
Woodson continued, “As he did with all his players, he always challenged me to get the most out of myself as a player and, more importantly, as a person. His record as a basketball coach speaks for itself. He will be remembered as one of the greatest ever.” Knight, who was nicknamed “The General,” was eventually forced out of Indiana in 2000 for violating a “zero tolerance” behavior policy by grabbing a freshman student’s arm whom he said greeted him by his last name.
It was the last transgression on a long list, which included Knight’s most infamous incident, throwing a chair during a Purdue game, and accusations of numerous physical confrontations. The most notable involved Knight allegedly choking player Neil Reed in a practice in 1997. Knight left to become the basketball coach at Texas Tech in 2001, six months after being fired by Indiana for what school officials called a “pattern of unacceptable behavior.”
Indiana University officials tried over the years to mend fences with Knight, but he steadfastly refused all attempts by the school, ex-players and fans to make peace, and he would not participate in any IU activities. He skipped team reunions and even declined to attend his induction into the school’s athletic Hall of Fame in 2009, saying he didn’t want his presence to detract from other class members.
That, however, changed in recent years. The thaw began in earnest in 2019 when he made a surprise appearance at an Indiana baseball game. In July, he bought a house 3 miles from the basketball arena in Bloomington. In February 2020, he finally returned to Assembly Hall for an Indiana-Purdue matchup. He was met with roars of approval from the sold-out crowd, including dozens of former players. Knight leaves behind his wife, Karen, and a son, Pat.