Bobby Knight, whose full name is Robert Montgomery Knight, was an American basketball coach.
He was born on October 25, 1940, in Massillon, Ohio, and grew up in Orrville.
Knight was known for his intense and hard-nosed coaching style, which earned him the nickname the General.
He had a successful career, winning 902 NCAA Division I men’s college basketball games, a record at the time of his retirement, and currently fifth all-time.
Knight coached at Army from 1965 to 1971, Indiana University from 1971 to 2000, and Texas Tech from 2001 to 2008.
He led the Indiana Hoosiers to NCAA titles in 1976, 1981 and 1987, and also coached the 1984 U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team to a gold medal.
He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991.
Knight’s coaching style and personality were often controversial, and he was known for his temper and occasional outbursts.
However, he was also loved by many of his former players and fans, especially in Indiana, where he spent most of his coaching career.
Bobby Knight cause of death
Although Knight’s family did not address the cause of death in their statement, they confirmed that he passed away at his home in Bloomington surrounded by his family.
He had been hospitalized for pneumonia in the past few years and had been battling dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as other health issues.
Bobby Knight career
Knight was a legendary basketball coach who spent nearly three decades at Indiana University and several seasons at Texas Tech.
He played basketball in high school and in college, playing for Ohio State under eventual Hall of Fame coach Fred Taylor when the Buckeyes won the NCAA championship in 1960.
Knight finished his career as the coach with the most wins in college basketball, 902 (including three by forfeit); he is now sixth.
He was one of the country’s winningest college coaches, with more than 900 wins by the end of his career.
Knight coached the Indiana Hoosiers to three national titles and coached the U.S. men’s basketball team to a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1984.
He was known for his unapologetic style, which earned him legions of fans and critics alike.
Knight was also known for his explosive temper that often led to volatile behavior that marred his achievements.
His chair toss during a home game against Purdue late in the 1985 season drew an eruption of cheers that only grew louder when he was thrown out of the game.
Despite his controversial behavior, Knight was loved by many of his former players and by plenty of fans, especially in basketball-loving Indiana, where he spent most of his coaching career.
He was seen largely as a rebel-hero, one not at all reluctant to speak his mind, with just the right amount of rogue in him.
Knight was also known for his philanthropic work.
In 1979, he was instrumental in the recovery of Neil Reed, a player who had collapsed during practice and was in a coma for five days.
Knight donated a reported $60,000 of his own money and led a statewide campaign that raised more than $500,000 to help with Turner’s hospital expenses, keeping the project going long after Turner had resumed his life.
In 2001, Knight was hired as the head coach of Texas Tech University, where he finished his coaching career.
He abruptly resigned from Texas Tech in February 2008 and turned his coaching duties over to his son, Pat.
Knight’s legacy as a basketball coach is complex, but his impact on the sport is undeniable.
