Justin Casterline/Getty ImagesLegendary Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball coach Bob Knight was released from the hospital after dealing with an "acute illness."
Knight's family confirmed the news in a statement:
"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."
News of Knight's hospitalization came via an\ email the school sent to former players, per Rick Bozich of WDRB.
Bozich shared the text of the email that asked for prayers for the 82-year-old former coach:
"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."
Bozich noted Knight 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."
Knight played college basketball at Ohio State and won a national championship before becoming one of the sport's most successful coaches.
His coaching career started at Army, where he stayed from 1965-71. While he helped lead the Black Knights into the Top 25 during his tenure, he is best known for his ensuing 29 seasons as the head coach of the Hoosiers.
Indiana won three national titles, reached five Final Fours and won 11 Big Ten regular-season titles with Knight at the helm. In all, he went 659-242 while helping establish the program as one of the most notable ones in the sport.
He finished his coaching career at Texas Tech, where he went 138-82 and reached four NCAA tournaments during seven seasons.
While Knight is a legendary coach, he was also known for his fiery demeanor and was fired by Indiana after grabbing a student by the arm. Then-Indiana president Myles Brand said Knight engaged in a "pattern of unacceptable behavior."
The firing didn't stop the school from eventually inviting him back to be honored alongside former players, and he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991.
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