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Hall of Fame men’s basketball head coach Bob Knight, famed for his time at the University of Indiana, passed away today at the age of 83 years old, according to a statement from his family’s organization.
Knight won three national championships during his time as the head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers. He is also the sixth-winningest coach in Division 1 history and won 20 or more games in 29 seasons as a head coach.
Here is the official statement from Knight’s family announcing his passing:
“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.”
Born in Ohio in 1940, Knight became a head coach at West Point at the age of 24 years old. After being the head coach at Army from 1965 to 1971, Knight was hired by Indiana, where he coached until the year 2000.
For the final eight years of his career from 2001 to 2008, he coached at Texas Tech. Overall, Knight compiled a record of 902-371, good for a winning percentage of .709.
In addition to his three national titles at Indiana, Knight also won an Olympic gold medal as the head coach of the United States men’s basketball team in 1984.
Knight’s success didn’t come without its controversy, however, as the Hall of Famer became infamous for his temper and his willingness to put his hands on other people, such as a police officer in 1979 and players of his at Indiana over his many years as the coach.
Among other incidents, during the year 1997, Knight choked a player and grabbed the arm of a student after they simply addressed him on campus by saying “Hey Knight.” He was eventually fired by Indiana in the year 2000 for his conduct after he refused to resign.
He would, however, return to Indiana in the year 2020 for an emotional ceremony with many of his former players.
Our thoughts are with Bob Knight’s friends and family during this difficult time.