Timberwolves coach Randy Wittman told Sports Headliners on Wednesday that he wouldn’t be surprised if Bob Knight coaches again and that the legendary coach was interested in becoming Gopher coach last year before Smith was hired. “He would have taken it (the Gopher position),” Wittman said. “They didn’t even talk to him.”
Knight resigned as Texas Tech coach earlier this month, leaving his job in Lubbock where he had been since 2001. Reports said the 68-year-old coach was tired but it’s believed the right offer may bring him back to coaching.
Wittman played for Knight at Indiana in the early 1980s and stays in touch with his friend. Regarding a return to coaching, Wittman said of Knight, “I’ll never say never to him. That’s who he is.”
Knight coached for over 40 years with stops at Army, Indiana and Texas Tech, winning more games than any coach in NCAA Division I history. While at Army there was talk that he might become the Gopher coach but instead he went to Indiana where he won three national championships.
Boosters of Knight promoted his name as the successor to Dan Monson as Gophers’ coach in 2007. However, Knight’s personality and controversial incidents over the years made him an unlikely fit in the Minnesota athletic department.
Years ago Knight almost left Indiana to become a TV color commentator with CBS. Now it seems likely, at least for the near future, that Knight will be on TV talking about college basketball.
Speculation will grow in coming weeks, too, about a return to Indiana where coach Kelvin Sampson faces allegations of NCAA infractions. There will be lots of passion on both sides of the proposition to return Knight to Indiana.