Bob Knight in 2020.Photo:Justin Casterline/Getty
Justin Casterline/Getty
Bob Knight, the legendary Hall of Fame college basketball coach who led Indiana University to three national championships, has died. He was 83.
Knight’s family announced his death on Wednesday in a statement shared on hiswebsite.
Those wishing to honor Knight were asked to give a memorial contribution to the Alzheimer’s Association or Marian University.
Bob Knight in 2014.David Becker/Getty
David Becker/Getty
The Orrville, Ohio, native began his career in basketball as a player for Ohio State’s college basketball team. In 1960, he helped securethe program’s only national championshipalongside fellow sports legends, Jerry Lucas and John Havlicek.
Afterstarting his basketball career as an assistantat Cuyahoga Falls High School in Ohio, he became acoach at West Point at age 24. During his six seasons in the position, his record was 102-50.
As a coach at Indiana University, he led his team to three national titles. He was theprogram’s head coach for 29 years, during which his team also secured 11 Big Ten Regular Season Championships and five Final Fours appearances.
Bob Knight in 1973.Rich Clarkson/NCAA Photos via Getty
Rich Clarkson/NCAA Photos via Getty
In 1991, he wasinducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fameand was part of the firstCollege Basketball Hall of Fame classin 2006.
According toCBS Sports, at the time of his retirement from coaching in 2008, his 902 wins were the most all-time in men’s college basketball. The accomplishment made him the sixth-winningest coach in Division I men’s college basketball history.
The Basketball Hall of Famedescribes Knight as a " legend among coaches."
Bob Knight during his tenure with Texas Tech in 2006.Darren Carroll/Sports Illustrated via Getty
Darren Carroll/Sports Illustrated via Getty
“His teams performed much like him – disciplined, tough, smart, focused, and tenacious. His success was based partly on his ability to instill quality fundamentals in his players,” the Hall of Fame’s description of Knight’s career reads. “His motion offense demanded a firm grasp of some of the game’s most basic ideas.”
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Indiana University President Pamela Whittenissued a statementafter news of Knight’s death that read, “As we collectively mourn the passing of Coach Knight, we also celebrate a man who will always be an integral part of Indiana University’s rich and vibrant story. With unmatched accomplishment, Coach Knight’s brilliance ensures he will forever rest among the giants of college basketball.”
source: people.com
