Coach Bob Knight dies at 83

Bob Knight, whose Hall of Fame career was highlighted by three national titles at Indiana -- one capping an undefeated season not since matched -- and countless on-court outbursts, has died. He was 83.

Knight's family made the announcement Wednesday night. He was hospitalized with an illness in April and had been in poor health for several years.

"It is with heavy hearts that we share that Coach Bob Knight passed away at his home in Bloomington surrounded by his family," the statement said. "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."

Knight became the youngest coach at a Division I school in 1965 when he broke in at Army at 24. But 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.

Sports writer John Feinstein, who profiled Knight and the Hoosiers in his book A Season on the Brink, spoke with NPR in 2008, after Knight had retired.

"When he was good, there was no one better than Bob Knight. He was generous. He cared about his players. He graduated his players. He was the best," said Feinstein. "When he was bad, there were few worse."

Yet Knight was loved by many of his former players and by plenty of fans — especially in basketball-loving Indiana, where he spent most of his coaching career.

He was born Robert Montgomery Knight on Oct. 25, 1940, in Massillon, Ohio, and he grew up in Orrville — both small towns about 20 to 30 miles outside Akron. Bob Knight  played basketball in high school and college; he played for Ohio State University under eventual Hall of Fame coach Fred Taylor when the Buckeyes won the NCAA championship in 1960.

Knight was among the winningest coaches in the sport, finishing his career with 902 victories in 42 seasons at Army, Indiana and Texas Tech. He coached Indiana to NCAA titles in 1976, 1981 and 1987.

The Hall of Famer cared little what others thought of him, choosing Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” to celebrate his 880th win in 2007, then the record for a Division I men’s coach.

A month after leaving Tech, Knight, who often lashed out at reporters, joined ESPN as a guest studio analyst during the 2008 NCAA Tournament. The next season, he expanded his role as a color commentator. The network parted with Knight in 2015.

He returned to public view in 2016, campaigning for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and kept a mostly low profile until returning to the campus where he became a household name and the state where his presence was so big, his death was announced in retail stores Wednesday night.

“I was standing there, and he was coach Knight,” Wittman said, referring to Knight’s pregame speech in February 2020. “It was like he hadn’t left that locker room. The words he gave to those players before they went out on the floor, it was fabulous.”

 Read more

Sarah H

Also on site :

• ASU’s Kyndrich Breedlove, Duke’s Landen King both ejected late in 1st half of Sun Bowl
• Duke lineman Kobe Smith suffers gruesome injury in Sun Bowl: ‘Not going to show that one again’
• Around The NBA: Atlanta Fire Sale? NCAA Return Rules, Tanking Tweaks, Christmas Ratings, More