Former IU basketball coach Bob Knight released from hospital after illness

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The family of Bob Knight, the Hoosiers' retired Hall of Fame coach, said he has been released from the hospital.

According to an email sent to former Indiana University men's basketball players Knight had been hospitalized in Bloomington since Friday night.

This was the text of the email:

"PRAYERS FOR COACH KNIGHT

DEAR MBB ALUMNI:

Please join us in sending prayers to coach Knight and his family. Coach Knight was admitted to the hospital Friday evening and is currently recovering from an acute illness. The family's hope is to have him back home soon."

In a statement released on Knight's website, Pat Knight confirmed Monday afternoon that Bob Knight had been released from the hospital.

Updated: 3:00pm EST, 4/3/23

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, who moved back to Bloomington several years ago, was a weekly visitor to IU basketball this season under head coach Mike Woodson, one of his former players.

Knight coached the Hoosiers from 1971-2000, winning national titles in 1976, 1981 and 1987. He was fired by IU in September 2000 and later served as the head coach at Texas Tech as well as basketball analyst for ESPN. Knight won 902 games in his career, which started at West Point. He went 662-239 at IU, also taking the Hoosiers to the Final Four in 1973 and 1992 while earning induction to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991.

Knight, who turned 82 last October, has battled health issues since his return to Bloomington but did appear at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall for a reunion of his former players when the Hoosiers played Purdue on Feb. 8, 2020.

Dusty May, one of Knight's former student managers, coached Florida Atlantic in the Final Four last weekend.