Bob Knight, the iconic basketball coach from Indiana, has passed away at the age of 83.
Renowned 83-year-old Indiana basketball coach, Bob Knight, has passed away.
According to a statement released on the coach’s website on Wednesday, Bob Knight passed away in his home in Bloomington with his family by his side.
“We would like to express our gratitude for the kind thoughts and prayers we have received. We also deeply appreciate the ongoing respect for our privacy, as Coach had requested a private family gathering. This wish is being respected,” states Knight’s website. “We will continue to honor his memory and celebrate his life as a cherished Husband, Father, Coach, and Friend, both now and always.”
Instead of requesting flowers, Knight’s website suggests making donations to the Alzheimer’s Association or Marian University.
In 1976, 1981, and 1987, Knight achieved three national championship wins as a coach. The Indiana Hoosiers of 1975-1976 had a perfect record of 32-0, making them the last Division I men’s college basketball team to remain undefeated. There have been only six other Division I teams to achieve an undefeated season.
Knight was the coach for a young Mike Krzyzewski during his time at Army from 1966 to 1969. Krzyzewski started his coaching journey as an assistant on Knight’s Indiana team from 1974 to 1975.
Today, we mourn the loss of a legendary basketball coach,” Krzyzewski stated on Wednesday. “He was truly one of a kind.”
“Coach Knight was the one who recruited and mentored me, and his influence greatly shaped my career and personal life. His passing is a great loss for the world of sports, and my family is grieving deeply. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Karen, Tim, Pat, and their loved ones during this challenging period.”
On Wednesday, longtime North Carolina coach Roy Williams also released a statement about Knight.
“Coach (Dean) Smith was certainly my mentor, but the next guy for me was Bob Knight,” Williams said. “I played golf with him, watched baseball with him, watched his practices my first year as a head coach, but more importantly, I appreciated the help he gave me in my coaching career.
“He treated me as one of his own and helped me improve greatly. He was a role model to me and I will always appreciate him.”
In 1981, Knight led the Hoosiers to victory over North Carolina in the national championship game. At that time, Smith was the head coach for the Tar Heels and Williams served as an assistant on his coaching staff.
Knight was also the coach for Michael Jordan, a legendary player from North Carolina, during the 1984 Olympics.
In the year 1992, Knight and the Hoosiers were defeated by Duke in the Final Four. Duke ultimately claimed the national championship title that year.
On January 1, 2007, Knight reached his 880th career win, surpassing retired North Carolina coach Dean Smith for the most career victories. He held this title until Krzyzewski surpassed his win total on November 15, 2011.
Knight coached Indiana from 1971-2000. He finished his career coaching Texas Tech from 2001-2008, reaching the NCAA Tournament four times.
Knight had a record of 902 wins and 371 losses during his tenure as head coach.
Knight was a member of Ohio State’s 1960 national championship team, playing for the university from 1959 to 1962.
Source: wralsportsfan.com