Bob Knight, Legendary College Basketball Coach, Dead at 83
Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight, who coached men’s college basketball for more than forty years and won three NCAA titles while at Indiana, has died at the age of 83.
Knight’s death was confirmed by his family in a statement posted on Knight’s official website: “It is with heavy hearts 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. We will continue to celebrate his life and remember him, today and forever as a beloved Husband, Father, Coach, and Friend.” The cause of death has not been made public at this time.
Knight began his college coaching career at Army, coaching a young Mike Krzyzewski, who would go on to become an all-time great college basketball coach in his own right at Duke. Knight moved on to coach the Indiana Hoosiers in 1971, staying there for nearly three decades and winning more than 600 games, including NCAA titles in 1976, 1981 and 1987. Following his tenure at Indiana, Knight coached for Texas Tech from 2001 to 2008. He won a total of 902 games as a college coach, which ranks fifth all-time, and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991. He also won an Olympic gold medal as the coach of the 1984 U.S. men’s basketball team.
Knight was known for his short temper, getting into heated arguments with referees and physical altercations with his own players. He famously threw a chair across the court in frustration during one game, leading to his ejection. After a former Indiana player accused Knight of choking him in 2000, Knight was placed on a zero-tolerance policy by the university, and was fired later that year after a number of violations of that policy.
After his coaching career, Knight moved into the booth, serving as a college basketball analyst and color commentator for ESPN. Knight joined the network in 2008, appearing on ESPN’s men’s basketball coverage until 2015.
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