Former college basketball coach Bob Knight (C) was hospitalized Friday because of an illness, but was released Monday, his family said. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI |
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April 4 (UPI) -- College basketball legend Bob Knight, who spent 29 of his 42 seasons as a head coach at Indiana, was released after being hospitalized because of an illness, his family announced.
Knight's son, Pat Knight, released a statement Tuesday night about his father's health status. On Monday, the Indianapolis Star and WDRB Louisville reported contents of an email, which was sent to Indiana basketball alumni, and stated that Knight was admitted to a hospital Friday because of an "acute illness."
The email also requested "prayers" for the Hall of Fame coach.
"On behalf of the Knight Family, we thank you for your thoughts and prayers," Pat Knight said in his statement. "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."
Knight, 82, was born Oct. 25, 1940 in Orrville, Ohio. He played at Ohio State from 1959 to 1962. Knight started his coaching career in 1962 as an assistant at Cuyahoga Falls High School in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
He was an assistant at Army from 1963 to 1965. Knight was promoted to Army's head coach in 1965. He led Army to a 102-50 record in six seasons.
Knight was hired at Indiana in 1971. He led the Hoosiers to a 17-8 record in his first season. Knight went on to post a 659-242 record in his three decades with the Hoosiers.
Knight's Hoosiers won championships in 1976, 1981 and 1987. He led the Hoosiers to a 32-0 record in 1975-76 en route to his first title. That Hoosiers squad remains the most-recent undefeated team in men's college basketball.
Knight went on to coach at Texas Tech from 2001-02 to 2007-08. He led the Red Raiders to a 138-82 record.
Knight went 899-374 overall as a college basketball coach. The three-time Coach of the Year went to the NCAA tournament 28 times, advancing five times to the Final Four. Knight's 899 wins rank fourth all-time, behind Mike Krzyzewski (1,202), Jim Boeheim (1,116) and Roy Williams (903).
Knight led Team USA to a gold medal as coach of the 1984 Olympic team. Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing and former Hoosiers star Steve Alford were members of that team.
He later worked as a studio analyst and color commentator for ESPN.
Knight often visited this year's Hoosiers team, which was coached by Mike Woodson. Woodson played for Knight from 1976 to 1980 at Indiana.
