Bobby Knight was a legendary American basketball coach who won three NCAA championships, 11 Big Ten titles, and one Olympic gold medal in his career. He was known for his fiery temper, his intense defense-oriented style of play, and his frequent clashes with officials, media, and administrators. He coached at West Point, Indiana University, and Texas Tech University, and retired in 2008 with a record of 902 wins and 371 losses. He passed away on April 1, 2023, at the age of 82, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. In this post, we will explore his age, wiki, bio, family, career, net worth, and more.
Table of Contents
Bobby Knight Biography Profile
Field
Information
Name
Robert Montgomery Knight
Nick Name
The General
Date of Birth
October 25, 1940
Birth Place
Massillon, Ohio, USA
Age (as of 2023)
83 (deceased)
Gender
Male
Zodiac sign
Scorpio
Profession
Basketball coach
Nationality
American
Ethnicity
White
Home Town/State
Bloomington, Indiana, USA
School
Orrville High School
College
Ohio State University
Educational Qualification
Bachelor of Science in History and Government
Religion
Christian
Hobbies
Fishing, golfing, hunting
Marital Status
Married (twice)
Wife/Husband
Karen Vieth Edgar (1988-2023), Nancy Lou Falk (1963-1985)
Children
Tim Knight, Pat Knight
Early Life and Education:
Bobby Knight was born in Massillon, Ohio, on October 25, 1940.
He was the son of Hazel and Henry Knight, who worked in a steel mill.
He had a brother named William and a sister named Marilyn.
He attended Orrville High School, where he played basketball and baseball.
He graduated in 1958 and enrolled at Ohio State University, where he played for the Buckeyes basketball team under coach Fred Taylor.
He was part of the 1960 NCAA championship team that featured future Hall of Famers Jerry Lucas and John Havlicek.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in history and government in 1962.
Bobby Knight Career Highlight:
Bobby Knight began his coaching career as an assistant at Cuyahoga Falls High School in Ohio in 1962.
He then became an assistant coach at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point under Tates Locke in 1963.
He was promoted to head coach in 1965 and led the Cadets to a 102–50 record in six seasons.
He coached future Hall of Famer Mike Krzyzewski at West Point.
He left West Point in 1971 to become the head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers.
He coached the Hoosiers for 29 seasons, from 1971 to 2000, and won three NCAA championships (1976, 1981, 1987), 11 Big Ten titles, one NIT title, and had two undefeated seasons (1975–76 and 1984–85).
He also coached the U.S. men’s basketball team to a gold medal at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
He was known for his fiery temper, his intense defense-oriented style of play, his loyalty to his players and staff, and his frequent clashes with officials, media, and administrators.
He was fired by Indiana University in September 2000 after violating a zero-tolerance policy imposed by the school president following allegations of physical and verbal abuse.
He returned to coaching in 2001 at Texas Tech University, where he led the Red Raiders to four NCAA tournament appearances and one NIT title in six and a half seasons.
He resigned in February 2008 and handed over the reins to his son Pat Knight.
He finished his coaching career with a record of 902–371 (.709), which was the most wins by any Division I men’s basketball coach at the time of his retirement.
He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991 and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
