Bob Knight's Success and Achievements in Timeline
A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Bob Knight.
Bob Knight, nicknamed "the General," was a highly successful and controversial American college basketball coach. He achieved 902 NCAA Division I men's basketball wins, a record upon his retirement and sixth all-time upon his death, solidifying his place as one of the most impactful figures in the sport.
1960: NCAA Championship
In 1960, Bob Knight, as a reserve forward, was a member of the Ohio State Buckeyes team that won the NCAA championship.
1960: Olympic Gold Medal
In 1960, Douglas Blubaugh won an Olympic gold medal.
1972: Won Big Ten Championship
In 1972, Bob Knight's second year as coach at Indiana, his team won the Big Ten championship.
1973: Big Ten Coach of the Year
In 1973, Knight was named Big Ten Coach of the Year.
1974: Hoosiers achieve 86 victories
In 1974, Knight's Indiana teams of 1974–76 set a record of 86 victories, which was broken between 1990-93.
1975: National Coach of the Year
In 1975, Knight was named National Coach of the Year.
1976: National Coach of the Year
In 1976, Knight was named National Coach of the Year by the Associated Press.
1976: NCAA Title Win
In 1976, the Indiana Hoosiers under Bob Knight won the NCAA title.
1979: Pan American Games Gold Medal
In 1979, Bob Knight won a gold medal at the Pan American Games as the coach of the U.S. men's national team.
1979: NIT Championship Win
In 1979, Indiana, led by Mike Woodson, won the NIT championship.
1979: Gold Medal at Pan American Games
In 1979, Knight coached the United States to a gold medal at the Pan American Games with a 9-0 record.
1980: Big Ten Coach of the Year
In 1980, Knight was named Big Ten Coach of the Year.
1981: NCAA Tournament Win
In 1981, Isiah Thomas and the Hoosiers won the Big Ten Title and the NCAA Tournament.
1981: Big Ten Coach of the Year
In 1981, Knight was named Big Ten Coach of the Year.
1982: No. 1 Ranked Hoosiers
In 1982, with the play of Uwe Blab and All-Americans Ted Kitchel and Randy Wittman, the Hoosiers were ranked No. 1 and favorites to win another national championship.
1984: Summer Olympics Gold Medal
In 1984, Bob Knight coached the U.S. men's national team to a gold medal at the Summer Olympics.
1987: Naismith Coach of the Year Award
In 1987, Knight was the first person to be honored with the Naismith Coach of the Year Award.
1987: Third National Championship
In 1987, led by All-American Steve Alford, the Hoosiers captured a share of the Big Ten title and won Knight's third national championship against Syracuse in the 1987 NCAA tournament.
1987: NCAA Title Win
In 1987, the Indiana Hoosiers under Bob Knight won their third NCAA title.
1988: Big Ten Championship
In 1988, led by All-American Jay Edwards, the Hoosiers won a Big Ten championship.
1989: National Coach of the Year
In 1989, Knight was named National Coach of the Year by the AP, UPI, and the United States Basketball Writers Association.
1990: Hoosiers achieve 87 victories
In 1990, the Indiana Hoosiers achieved 87 victories. This was the most by any Big Ten team in a three-year span. The Hoosiers also captured two Big Ten crowns in 1990-91 and 1992-93.
1991: Induction into Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
In 1991, Bob Knight was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
1991: Hoosiers capture Big Ten crown
In 1991, Knight's Indiana team captured the Big Ten crown.
1991: Induction into Basketball Hall of Fame
Knight was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991.
1992: Reached Final Four
During the 1992 season, Knight's Indiana team reached the Final Four.
1992: Big Ten Coach of the Year
In 1992, Knight was named Big Ten Coach of the Year.
1993: Big Ten Coach of the Year
In 1993, Knight was named Big Ten Coach of the Year.
1996: Knight improves Red Raiders program
In 1996, Knight improved the Red Raiders program and led them to an NCAA tournament.
2005: Sweet Sixteen Appearance with Texas Tech
In 2005, Knight led Texas Tech to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA tournament.
November 17, 2006: Induction into National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame
On November 17, 2006, Bob Knight was recognized for his impact on college basketball and inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the founding class.
2006: Texas Tech Improvement
After a rough 2006 season, the Texas Tech team improved in 2007, finishing 21-13 and again making it to the NCAA tournament, where it lost to Boston College in the first round. In both 2006 and 2007 under Knight, Texas Tech defeated two Top 10-ranked teams in consecutive weeks.
January 1, 2007: Career Victories Record
On January 1, 2007, Knight achieved his 880th career win, surpassing Dean Smith for most career victories.
November 29, 2007: Texas Tech Library Exhibit Honoring Knight
On November 29, 2007, the Texas Tech library honored Knight's contributions with "A Legacy of Giving: The Bob Knight Exhibit."
2007: Texas Tech Improvement
After a rough 2006 season, the Texas Tech team improved in 2007, finishing 21-13 and again making it to the NCAA tournament, where it lost to Boston College in the first round. In both 2006 and 2007 under Knight, Texas Tech defeated two Top 10-ranked teams in consecutive weeks.
2007: NCAA Tournament Appearance Record
In 2007, Knight's Texas Tech team made it to the NCAA tournament, giving Knight more NCAA tournament appearances than any other coach at the time.
January 16, 2008: 900th Career Win
On January 16, 2008, Knight achieved his 900th career win against Texas A&M, though he argued with referees during the game.
November 15, 2011: Krzyzewski surpasses Knight's win total
On November 15, 2011, Mike Krzyzewski surpassed Knight's win total.
January 2, 2013: Boeheim surpasses Knight's win total
On January 2, 2013, Jim Boeheim surpassed Knight's win total.
March 11, 2021: Williams surpasses Knight's win total
On March 11, 2021, Roy Williams surpassed Knight's win total.
2023: Last undefeated national champions
As of the end of the 2023-24 season, the 1975-1976 Indiana Hoosiers remain the last team to be undefeated national champions.
