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Legendary Basketball Coach Bob Knight Dead at 83, Fans React

Legendary Basketball Coach Bob Knight Dead at 83, Fans React

By:

Joe Rutland

Fans from all across the spectrum of college basketball were sharing their thoughts after hearing Bob Knight died. The legendary college basketball coach, who put his stamp on the sport at Indiana University, was 83. His family announced Knight’s death on Wednesday.

Here are some of Knight’s accomplishments in the world of college basketball: 1x NCAA Champion (player) 3x NCAA Champion (coach) 5x Final Four 11x Big Ten Champion 3x AP Coach of the Year 1x Naismith Coach of the Year 1991 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee

Some fans can pinpoint falling in love with the sport due to Knight. One fan wrote, “Wow, I can’t even believe that Coach Knight is gone. Bob Knight was one of the reasons I fell in love with basketball. His love and passion for the game was contagious. Rip Coach. Your legacy lives on”.

Another fan looked at the spectrum of Knight’s career for this tribute. “I grew up watching Bob Knight coach IU. Some of my fondest sports memories. I also have serious problems with some of the things he did and the things he espoused. But there’s no denying he’s a titan of the field. RIP.”

This fan shared one of his favorite quotes from the man nicknamed The General. He wrote, “My favorite Bob Knight quote. What do you do against a zone? ‘Get where they ain’t and shoot it’.”

Bob Knight Receives Tributes From Rex Chapman, Jay Bilas

Former college and NBA player Rex Chapman shared a story about possibly going to college at Indiana. “Coach Knight recruited me. When I told him I had narrowed my schools to 5 (over the phone) he could sense Indiana wasn’t one of the five — and he hung up on me. Lol,” Chapman wrote on Twitter. “We (UK) played them a year later and he apologized for it. I coached his son Patrick at 5-Star that summer. We remained friends. RIP, Coach.”

ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas offered his thoughts on Knight. “RIP to the legendary Bob Knight. He was an American original,” Bilas wrote. “I had the honor of knowing him well, and while he wasn’t for everyone, I always truly liked, respected and admired him. As he once said of Henry Iba, of all the shadows cast in the game, his was the longest.”

Former Indiana basketball coach Tom Crean shared an old-school photo of Knight squatting down while in Assembly Hall. “Although we never got him back to ⁦@IndianaMBB to be honored on our watch, I was so thankful when he finally did return,” Crean wrote. “We were always going to REVERE what he accomplished and who he accomplished it with. Our deepest condolences.”

Finally, Dick Vitale of ESPN, a longtime proponent of Knight, had this to say on Wednesday night. “So sorry to learn of the passing of Bob Knight who was so good in his prime teaching how to play the game. Always loved talking hoops with him over the years. My heart goes out to Karen the love of his life & his family & friends .”