Former Indiana basketball head coach Bob Knight has passed away at the age of 83.
“It is with heavy hearts that we share that Coach Bob Knight passed away at his home in Bloomington surrounded by his family,” the Knight family said in a statement. “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.”
Though he’s known mostly for his time coaching the Indiana basketball team, make no mistake, Knight is a Buckeye, having played on the Ohio State national-title-winning 1960 team, and hailing from Orrville, Ohio. He starred in high school and came to Columbus to play for Hall of Fame coach Fred Taylor from 1959 to 1962.
After his college days, Knight took up coaching at the ripe old age of 24 as the head coach of the Army Black Knights where he stayed from from 1965 to 1971. He was then named head coach of Indiana later in 1971 where he became a legend. Knight won eleven regular season Big Ten championships, took home three national titles, and took the Hoosiers to five Final Fours.
The Ohio State Men’s Basketball Program mourns the loss of Bob Knight, a legend of college basketball. Our thoughts and prayers are with Coach Knight, his family, friends, teammates, and former players. pic.twitter.com/e45dXYyRMc
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) November 2, 2023
Known for his passion and motivating players with a no-nonsense style of coaching. He amassed a record of 902-371 during his 42-year coaching career that also had a stop at Texas Tech from 2001-2008. He was named the AP Coach of the Year in 1975, 1976 and 1989 and is a member of the 1991 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame class and the 2006 College Basketball Hall of Fame class.
Knight will be remembered for as long as basketball is played and is survived by his wife Karen and his sons Tim and Pat.
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