For a considerable amount of time, fans and sports lovers have been curious about Bobby Knight, the renowned American basketball coach recognized for his intense teaching methods.
Whether Bobby Knight is married is one frequently asked question. As of my most recent information update in January 2022, Knight was married to Karen Knight, with whom he had shared many years of his life.
His personal life has been comparatively private. But, it’s crucial to remember that things could have changed since then, so it’s a good idea to find out the most recent details about Bobby Knight’s marital status.
Is Bobby Knight Married?
On November 1, legendary coach Bob Knight passed away at the age of 83. The three national titles that the late Hall of Fame coach won at Indiana are well-known. Twice married, the man was notorious for his unrelenting rants on the court.
Nancy Falk was the first woman he married in 1963. After their 1985 divorce, he wed Oklahoma high school basketball coach Kareth Vieth Edgar. After Knight’s passing, his family issued a statement. He had been unwell for a few years before being admitted to the hospital in April. It said as such (per ESPN):
“It is with heavy hearts that we share that Coach Bob Knight passed away at his home in Bloomington surrounded by his family. We are grateful for all the thoughts and prayers, and appreciate the continued respect for our privacy as Coach requested a private family gathering, which is being honored.”
In 1991, he was chosen and admitted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Bob Knight had earlier requested not to be considered again for the top prize, citing what he considered the voting panel’s disqualification of him.
A Look at Bob Knight’s Personal Life
Bob Knight wed Nancy Falk, with whom he had two children, Pat and Tim. In 1985, Knight wed Karen Vieth Edgar, his second wife, shortly after divorcing Falk.
Edgar coached high school basketball at Lomega High School in Oklahoma and won multiple state titles. In 2004, she was also admitted to the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. She also coached Kelli Litsch and LeAnn Nalewaja, two of the greatest players in the city’s history, according to Lookout Info.
After his legendary father retired, his son Pat served as head coach at Lamar and attended Indiana from 1991 to 1995. After his father’s retirement, Pat became a Texas Tech coach. Pat was the one who kept everyone updated on Knight’s health in April.
Knight, who had dementia, was cared for twenty-four hours a day until his death on November 1. Knight had previously stated that he had no regrets when it was time for him to pass away, according to the New York Post:
“When my time on earth is gone, and my activities here are passed. I want them to bury me upside down, and my critics can kiss my a**.”
There will undoubtedly never be another charismatic figure in sports history like Bob Knight.
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Bobby Knight Early Life and Career
Knight was raised in Orrville, Ohio, after being born in the Ohio town of Massillon on October 25, 1940. His mother Hazel was a school teacher, while his father Pat was employed by the railroad. He started at Orrville High School in organized basketball.
In 1958, Knight continued to play for Basketball Hall of Fame coach Fred Taylor at Ohio State. He was a stand-in forward for the 1960 Ohio State Buckeyes team that won the NCAA championship and included Jerry Lucas and John Havlicek, two players who would go on to become Hall of Famers, despite being a standout player in high school. Knight also played for the Buckeyes in 1961 and 1962, losing to the Cincinnati Bearcats in the championship game.
In 1963, while still in the Army, he got a job as an assistant coach with the Army Black Knights. Two years later, at the comparatively young age of 24, he was made head coach. Knight won 102 games in his six seasons as West Point’s head coach, winning his first one against Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Three times, he advanced to the semifinals while leading the Army to four NITs. Mike Krzyzewski was one of his players; he would go on to become his assistant and eventually head coach at Duke University’s Hall of Fame.
Another player under Knight’s tutelage at the Army was Mike Silliman, who the coach was reportedly quoted as stating was the best player he had ever taught. On April 3, 1968, John Erickson resigned as head coach of the Wisconsin men’s basketball team to take a position as the team’s first-ever general manager.
Knight was one of seven applicants vying for the position. Knight accepted the job offer but asked for additional time to consider it. By the time he got back to West Point, the local media had already been prematurely informed that he was going to take over as the Badgers’ new coach.
Knight withdrew his application and coached at Army for three more seasons after conferring with Bo Schembechler, who had also had a bad experience as a Wisconsin football coaching candidate the year before. John Powless, Erickson’s assistant coach, was elevated in its place.
