Updated Monday, April 3, 2023, 4:09 p.m. ET
Legendary Indiana basketball coach Bob Knight was released from a Bloomington hospital on Monday after spending the weekend there with an acute illness.
Knight, who is 82 years old and has been living back in Bloomington since 2019, was Indiana's coach for 29 years and won three national championships, in 1976, 1981 and 1987. He was hospitalized on Friday
Knight's son Pat released a statement on their family website on Monday.
"On behalf of the Knight Family, we thank you for your thoughts and prayers. As many have heard, my dad was hospitalized over the weekend with an illness and has since been released from the hospital.
"We ask for your privacy as he is cared for and resting at home in good hands. Coach always taught us, and those that played for him, the importance of fighting through adversity and he and our family thank you for the tremendous amount of support you have shown and given during this time. We appreciate your continued thoughts and prayers." — Pat Knight
Knight coached at Indiana from 1971 to 2000, and when he was fired he cut all ties to the university for more than 20 years. He coached at Texas Tech and also did some TV work before retiring for good.
He returned to Bloomington four years ago to be closer to friends and family. He and his wife Karen have a home on the east side of Bloomington and former players, coaches and friends are constant visitors.Knight made a dramatic return to Assembly Hall on Feb. 8, 2020, when he was welcomed with open arms — and tear-dripped cheeks — at an Indiana game against Purdue. Several dozen former players came in from out of town to be there for the halftime celebration.
He hasn't been to any more games, even with a former player, Mike Woodson, now the head coach the past two years. Woodson got visits every week from Knight this year, who would come to watch practice. It meant a lot to Knight, and to the current Indiana players, especially those with Indiana roots who know all about the Knight legacy at Indiana.
“It means a great deal to me that he’s back here,” Woodson said last month. “Make no mistake about it, Indiana basketball is Bob Knight. The fact that he’s back here where he belongs. It’s like old times again, and I’m excited about that.”
This story will be updated throughout the day.
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