Legendary college basketball coach Bob Knight has passed away at the age of 83.

Knight led the Indiana University men’s basketball team to three national championships and 11 Big Ten titles during his 29 seasons at IU.

Knight was best known for his assertive, confident, and sometimes brash attitude on the court, evident during the 1985 IU/Purdue game where he threw a chair across the court.

Knight was fired in 2000, and he later returned to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in 2020.

He had recently been dealing with illness.

 Indiana University President Pamela Whitten issued the following statement:

“As we collectively mourn the passing of Coach Knight, we also celebrate a man who will always be an integral part of Indiana University’s rich and vibrant story. With unmatched accomplishment, Coach Knight’s brilliance ensures he will forever rest among the giants of college basketball.”

Governor Eric Holcomb issued the following statement:

“Coach Robert Montgomery Knight was a towering basketball figure and fighter, second to none. As a National Champion he became synonymous with our state and what Hoosier’s are all about: hard work, practice makes perfect, teamwork and a commitment to excellence. His teams were built around student-athletes and his influence prepared them for life after the ball stopped bouncing. There will never be another Coach Knight and the banners that hang in Assembly Hall will forever remind us of his time, impact and dominance. When Indiana builds our Mount Rushmore of Basketball, The General will surely be on it.”