Knight resigns suddenly as coach at Texas Tech

LUBBOCK, Texas — Bob Knight's college basketball coaching career has often been marked by unexpected occurrences, and he provided one more Monday.

Knight, college men's basketball's all-time leader with 902 victories, resigned suddenly as coach at Texas Tech, a little more than halfway through his 42nd year on the sideline.

Knight's son, Pat, an assistant on his staff, will replace him. Pat Knight was named the school's head coach-designate in 2005.

Bob Knight told the Lubbock (Texas) Avalanche-Journal that he has contemplated retirement and thought about doing it after this season. But after talking to longtime friend and former basketball coach Pete Newell on Sunday, Knight believed now was the best time to begin the changeover, the newspaper reported.

"There's a transition that's going to take place here from me to Pat, and I've dwelt on this all year long," he told the newspaper.

"My thinking was that for Pat and for this team — most of which is returning next year — the best thing for the long run for this team would be for Pat and his staff to coach these remaining 10 games."

The sometimes-volatile Knight, 67, known as much for his temper as his Hall of Fame accomplishments, has been at Texas Tech since 2001. He landed there after being fired in 2000, after 29 seasons at Indiana, for what school officials called "a pattern of unacceptable behavior."

He also coached at Army for six seasons.

Knight broke the Division I men's victory record Jan. 1, 2007, when he earned his 880th win, passing the mark set a decade earlier by former North Carolina coach Dean Smith.

"It surprised me," Smith said in a telephone interview Monday of Knight's decision. "We're friends, and I'm happy that he had a great career."

Knight's teams won three national titles at Indiana. His 1975-76 club that went 32-0 was the last Division I men's team to finish undefeated.

Texas Tech (12-8) beat Oklahoma State on Saturday.

The Red Raiders play Wednesday night at Baylor.

"I guess you can never be surprised at some of the things Bob does," former UCLA coach John Wooden told The AP. "I don't think there's ever been a better teacher of the game of basketball than Bob. I don't always approve of his methods, but his players for the most part are very loyal to him. I would say that no player that ever played for him would not say he did not come out a stronger person."

In Knight's first six years at Tech, he led the Red Raiders to five 20-win seasons.

"Outside of my immediate family, no single person has had a greater impact on my life than Coach Knight," said Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, who played for Knight at Army. "I have the ultimate respect for him as a coach and a mentor, but even more so as a dear friend. For more than 40 years, the life lessons I have learned from Coach are immeasurable. Simply put, I love him."

Pat Knight said, "Today was the most relaxed and relieved I've seen him in a long time."