Bob Knight, the fiery and intelligent coach who led Indiana to three NCAA titles and was the scowling face of collegiate hoops for many years, passed away. He was eighty-three.
The news was shared on social media on Wednesday night by Knight’s relatives. He had been ailing for a number of years and was admitted to the hospital in April.
“It is with heavy hearts that we share that Coach Bob Knight passed away at his home in Bloomington surrounded by his family,” a statement read. “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 was among the winningest and most controversial coaches in the sport, finishing his career with 902 victories in 42 seasons at Army, Indiana and Texas Tech while mentoring some of America’s best coaches.. He also coached the U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal in 1984.
Choosing “My Way” by Frank Sinatra to commemorate his 880th victory in 2007, the Hall of Fame coach showed no regard for what other people thought of him. At the time, this record was held by a Division I men’s coach.
In 2000, his fiery demeanor earned him the moniker “The General” and cost him his job at Indiana. He was once accused of putting his hands around a player’s neck, he once attacked a police officer in Puerto Rico, and he once tossed a chair across the court.
Critics of his behavior were unrelenting, yet he had a large number of supporters. Knight also had another side to himself. He was proud of his athletes’ outstanding graduation rates and never faced any serious NCAA violations, even in a time when many followed the rules.
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