Legendary Basketball Coach Bob Knight Dies at 83
Renowned college basketball coach Bob Knight passed away at the age of 83. According to his family, he died at home with them by his side.
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,’ the statement read.
‘We will continue to celebrate his life and remember him, today and forever as a beloved Husband, Father, Coach, and Friend.’
Knight is well-known for speaking his mind and occasionally losing his cool both on and off the basketball court. Having led the Hoosiers to three national titles, he is regarded as the greatest coach in Indiana University history.
Robert Montgomery Knight, originally from Orrville, Ohio, played college basketball at Ohio State and was part of the 1960 national championship-winning team with future NBA stars John Havlicek and Jerry Lucas.
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After college, Knight became a coach, first as an assistant in high school, then at Army under Tates Locke. He eventually became the head coach at Army in 1965, where he achieved success with 102 wins in six seasons, including four seasons with 18 or more wins.
His impressive record at Army led to a significant career move that defined both Knight and the program he joined.
In 1971, Knight became the head coach at Indiana University, a Big Ten school that had won two national championships but had fallen from its peak under Branch McCracken. Knight quickly brought the Hoosiers back to the top, reaching the Final Four in his second season and winning a national championship in his fifth.
His team in the 1975-76 season is still the last in Division I men’s basketball to finish a season undefeated, with a perfect record of 32-0.
Many consider these teams to be Knight’s best, showcasing his determined coaching style. Between 1974 and 1976, Indiana only lost once, in a regional final to Kentucky, where star player Scott May was hampered by injury.
Some members of the 1974-75 team and the following year’s team have suggested the earlier squad might have been stronger overall, even though the latter completed an undefeated season and secured Knight’s first national title.
The 1975-76 team, however, had a tough core of experienced players and a strong defensive strategy. They fought all the way to the national final before losing key players Bobby Wilkerson and Scott May to injuries, just as they had in earlier matches.
