College basketball legend Bob Knight dies

Bobby Knight, one of the most successful coaches in college basketball history, died Wednesday at age 83. A formal announcement was made on his website.

Knight amassed 902 career wins at three schools, but his greatest success came at Indiana, where he coached from 1971 to 2000 and led the Hoosiers to three national championships. Indiana was the dominant team in the Big Ten during Knight’s time there, winning 11 regular-season titles and making five trips to the Final Four.

Knight was known for his fiery temper as much as his on-court success, and both helped make him one of college basketball’s most recognizable figures for several decades. He’s a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, being inducted in 1991, and the College Basketball Hall of Fame, which he joined in 2006.

Knight also enjoyed success in international competitions, guiding Team USA to gold medals at the 1984 Olympics and the 1979 Pan American Games.

As a college player, Knight was part of an NCAA champion at Ohio State in 1960. He joined the army after graduation and became an assistant coach at West Point, then was promoted to the Black Knights head coach at age 24. Six seasons at the military academy set him up for the opportunity at Indiana.

Knight coached several legendary Hoosiers teams, including the 1975-76 squad, which went unbeaten through the regular season and NCAA Tournament, a feat that hasn’t been duplicated since. Knight was dismissed in 2000 after several complaints about his behavior and finished his college coaching career with Texas Tech from 2001-08.

Although Knight never played or coached in the NBA, his influence on the league was widespread. His programs produced numerous NBA players and several head coaches, including Randy Wittman, Mike Woodson, Keith Smart, Isiah Thomas and Lawrence Frank.

Our deepest condolences go out to Knight’s family and friends.