Mike Woodson on Bob Knight: ‘He influenced my life in ways I could never repay’

The Indiana basketball program was hit with heavy news on Wednesday night as legendary head coach Bob Knight passed away.

Current head coach Mike Woodson — who played at IU under Bob Knight from 1976 to 1980 — has been very open about the influence Knight had on him as a player, person and now coach.

“Coach Bob Knight who means so much to Indiana Basketball, and he took a chance on a kid out of Indianapolis many years ago to come here and play basketball,” Woodson said during his introductory press conference in 2021. ” … coming to Indiana University to play basketball, he taught me how to play the game of basketball from a fundamental standpoint. He taught me how to be a man on and off the floor. And that was huge for me coming out of the inner cities of Indianapolis.

“So I pay tribute to Coach Knight in the utmost way because Indiana Basketball will always be Bob Knight.”

Knight had just about the same feelings for Woodson, and made it known when he took over the Indiana basketball program.

“We are all very pleased to have Mike Woodson as the person in charge of our program,” Knight said in a statement. “He will do an excellent job. He will be an outstanding disciplinarian and teacher working with his team. I’ve never known a better person than Mike. He is just a great man.”

Below are the full comments from Woodson on the passing of Bob Knight.

Mike Woodson, Indiana Men’s Basketball Coach and former IU All-American  

“It is a profoundly sad day for all of us who loved Coach Knight. My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Karen, his family, and to all those who loved him.

“I am so blessed that he saw something in me as a basketball player. He influenced my life in ways I could never repay. As he did with all of his players, he always challenged me to get the most out of myself as a player and more importantly, as a person.

“His record as a basketball coach speaks for itself. He will be remembered as one of the greatest ever and his impact on the game of basketball is etched in stone. His teams were always prepared and with him on the sideline, you always believed that he put you in the best position to win.

“I will always cherish the time we spent together after I played for him. His fierce loyalty to his former players never wavered. I am grateful that he was able to come to our practices after I came back. His presence meant so much to me, our staff, and our players.”

Below are other statement from key members of Indiana University: 

Pamela Whitten, Indiana University President 
“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.”

Quinn Buckner, IU Board of Trustees Chair and former IU All-American and NCAA champion 

“This is a terribly sad day for the IU Basketball family, Indiana University, the state of Indiana, and the world of sports as we say goodbye to Coach Knight. One of the things that he said to our 1976 team, which I was fortunate enough to be a part of, was that you may never see another team like this again. Well, I don’t know that we will ever see another coach like him again. I think it’s important for people to realize that. It was a special opportunity to have been coached by him, and an equally special opportunity to have him as a friend. Because as great a coach as he was, he was an infinitely better friend. He’s a big part of who we are, and we were very fortunate to have had him in our lives.”

Scott Dolson, IU Vice President and Director of Athletics 

“This is a tremendous loss to not only our IU Basketball Family, but the sport. His impact on the game is obvious when looking at his three NCAA and 11 Big Ten Championships and the 902 games that he won throughout a legendary 42-year head coaching career. As great as that record of success is, his impact is even more profound when looking at the enormous successes that his former players, coaches, and managers have enjoyed – both in the sport and outside of it – following their time working alongside Coach Knight and learning from him.  His influence will continue to be felt through them for generations to come. I want to extend my deepest condolences to Karen, Tim, Pat, and the entire Knight family. The world of basketball lost a great one today. There won’t be another one like him.”

SEE ALSO: A simple question of ‘Do you know coach Knight?’ leads to Indiana basketball head coach Mike Woodson landing his first coaching job 

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